1871. Morning Advertizer, 2 Feb. Give warning of what is going on to "all husbands who skylark around." The precise nature of the diversion, indicated by skylarking around, is a little foggy; but, taken in conjunction with the context, it is clearly not inconsistent with staying from home until the small hours.
1888. Boldrewood, Robbery under Arms, xxiv. Talking and skylarking, like a lot of boys.
1893. Milliken, 'Arry Ballads, 7. If yer don't find it a 'Oliday skylark, wy, never trust 'Arry.
Skylarker, subs. (old thieves').—A
housebreaker following brick-*laying
as a blind.
2. See Skylark.
Skylight, subs. (nautical).—The
eye.
1836. Scott, Tom Cringle's Log, iii. After a long look through his starboard blinker (his other skylight had been shut up ever since Aboukir). . . .
Sky-PARLOUR, subs. phr. (common).—A
garret (Grose).
1807-8. Irving, Salmagundi, No. ii. I beg leave to repeat the advice so often given by the illustrious tenants of the theatrical sky-parlour to the gentlemen who are charged with the "nice conduct" of chairs and tables—"Make a bow, Johnny. Johnny, make a bow."
1821. Egan, Life in London, 11. v. Bob . . . proposed to see the author safe to his SKY PARLOUR.
1836. Dickens, Sketches by Boz, 'First of May.' Now ladies, up in the sky-parlour; only once a year, if you please. Ibid. (1855), Dorrit, 1. viii. She has a lodging at the turnkey's. First home there . . . sky parlour.
1847. Rhodes, Bombastes Furioso, 15. My parlour that's next to the sky I'd quit, her blest mansion to share.
1883. Dobson, Hogarth, 43. The poor verseman, high in his Grub-Street or "Porridge-Island" sky-parlour.
1891. Herald, 31 May, 3, 1. Sky-parlours may be very well, but I'm certain there is something wrong with my friend's "upper story."
1895. Le Queux, Temptress, iii. The necessaries of life which she would convey to his sky parlour.
Sky-Pilot, subs. phr. (common).—A
clergyman: see Bible-pounder.
1889. Sporting Times, 29 June. The Sky Pilot, having regard to muttered remarks which might be heard emanating from the Englishman, gave his professional opinion that his service was anything divine.
1895. Le Queux, Temptress, ix. Have you seen the Sky Pilot?
Skyrocket, subs. (rhyming).—1. A
pocket: also sky.
1879. J. W. Horsley in Macm. Mag., xl. 502. A slavey piped [saw] the spoons sticking out of my skyrocket [pocket].
1893. Emerson, Lippo, xiv. See everything is bono, and keep the split in your skyrocket. Ibid., xx. I'd two bob in my sky, so paid three night's letty.
1898. Pink 'Un and Pelican, 237. After thirty-six 'ands 'ad bin all over him,—why, even then we never found his sky.
2. (old).—Eccentricity.
1690. Dryden, Mistakes, Prol. [Works (Globe), 473]. He's no highflyer—he makes no skyrockets. His squibs are only levelled at your pockets.
Skyscraper, subs. (common).—Generic
for height: e.g. (1) a
very tall man; (2) a very lofty
building: spec. (American) erections
sometimes twenty stories
high; (3) a triangular sail set
above the royals, a sky-sail, sky-*gazer,
or angel's footstool
(q.v.); and (4) a skied ball.
Hence skyscraping and other
derivatives.
1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, v. Run out the bolt-sprit, up main-sail, top and top-gallant sails, royals, and sky-*scrapers, and away—follow who can!
1893. Milliken, 'Arry Ballads, 47. It's a bloominger sky-scraping Topper.
