Play truant

Question

If a student misses classes we can say he is playing truant. What if it the teacher would you use the same expression?

Guest · Accepted Answer

Playing truant is only really applied to school students. I suppose it could be used jokingly for adults or a teacher.

The usual slang term for an adult illicitly evading work is 'skiving off'. e.g

He was skiving off yesterday.

Don't tell anyone, but I'm going to skive off this afternoon.

even 'I'm having a skive'.

This is the slang wording though, if you need to report an official reason you should not accuse someone of skiving!

Mister Micawber · Answer

Hi maj,

As a Canadian-American English speaker, I am unfamiliar with 'skiving off'. We would say that the teacher is 'slacking off' or 'shirking his work/duty'-- these are informal, but not slang.

CalifJim · Answer

Interesting word. Never heard it.

Is that a long I (SKY ving) or short (SKIV ing)?

MountainHiker · Answer

Hi CalifJim,

I never heard of it either, but it does exist and it is common. I just Googled "skiving off" and came up with several thousand hits. Here is [url="http://tinyurl.com/6s5u3"]one link[/url] and [url="http://tinyurl.com/42wu4"]another link[/url].

According to GuruNet.com....
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skive (skiv)
tr.v., skived, skiv·ing, skives.
To cut thin layers off (leather or rubber, for example); pare.

[Of Scandinavian origin.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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I am not sure how that translates into truancy. I am not even sure that it does. That said, when you look at the two sample links provided, you will see that "skiving off" does seem to imply playing hooky. It must be a European slang term or something?

Hope that helps.

MountainHiker

Play truant

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