skimmity-ride

English

Alternative forms

• skimmington

Noun

skimmity-ride (plural skimmity-rides)

1. Synonym of charivari (“mock serenade”)
   • 1886, Thomas Hardy, chapter 36, in The Mayor of Casterbridge:

     “What do they mean by a ‘skimmity-ride’?” he asked. “O, sir!” said the landlady, swinging her long earrings with deprecating modesty; “’tis a’ old foolish thing they do in these parts when a man’s wife is - well, not too particularly his own.