gallivant

present singular third person gallivants · participle present gallivanting · participle past gallivanted · past gallivanted · alternative galavant · alternative gallavant

1. intransitiveTo roam about for pleasure without any definite plan.

   Rather than sit and gawk at my nonadoring mother and sister, I gallivanted outdoors until it was time to hit the sack.

   2003, Bric Blastard Had It All, page 36

   3 more examples

   Bertram, it is true, when he heard of the plan, rebelled, and asserted that what Billy needed was a rest, an entire rest from care and labor. In fact, what he wanted her to do, he said, was to gallivant – to gallivant all day long.

   1914, Eleanor H. Porter, chapter 18, in Miss Billy – Married, page 214

   The episode also opens with an inspired bit of business for Homer, who blithely refuses to acquiesce to an elderly neighbor’s utterly reasonable request that he help make the process of selling her house easier by wearing pants when he gallivants about in front of windows, throw out his impressive collection of rotting Jack-O-Lanterns from previous Halloweens and take out his garbage, as it’s attracting wildlife (cue moose and Northern Exposure theme song).

   2012 May 27, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “New Kid On The Block” (season 4, episode 8; originally aired 11/12/1992)”, in The Onion AV Club, archived from the original on 14 Aug 2012

   When she wasn't gallivanting about the globe, gathering interesting tidbits for her travel blog, she adored holing up for days at a time with a few pints of Häagen-Dazs, leaving only to go for a dip in the rooftop pool or for a workout in the building's fitness club.

   2012, Debbi Rawlins, Barefoot Blue Jean Night, page 22

   Synonyms: gad

2. intransitiveobsoleteTo flirt, to romance.

   'That you never go gallivanting with Chloe again. You both "don't mean anything", but suppose you did happen to get the girl discharged with a very dubious character? Should you see any alternative to behaving either as a fool or a knave to put it right?'

   1927, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados Mysteries