hoolie

plural hoolies

1. abbreviationslangShort for hooligan (“a young person who causes trouble or violence, typically as a member of a gang or other group”).

   In the last published figures for Level Two, The Posh clocked up enough arrests to place them in the top five for hoolie problems for the division, putting them in the same dubious bracket as Stoke and Cardiff.

   2004, Geoff Harvey, Rivals: The Off-Beat Guide to the 92 League Clubs, Novato, Calif.: Aesculus Press, →ISBN

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   Hooligans or hoolies are in it for the pure lust of violence and defence of turf and not really politics, although the subculture tends towards a right wing syndrome of working-class machismo and hostility to foreigners and to the better-off, better-dressed, and better-educated. Hoolies also tend towards public inebriation and, sometimes agitated by a small minority screaming 'Sieg Heil' and 'Germany for the Germans', have engaged in massed rampages through towns, attacking shops, police, and whatever target seemed convenient.

   1995, Peter H. Merkl, “Are the Old Nazis Coming Back?”, in Peter H. Merkl, editor, The Federal Republic of Germany at Forty-five: Union without Unity, New York, N.Y.: New York University Press, →ISBN, part VI (Conclusion), pages 456–457

   Offer ten seconds of your morning to make sure a new kid is nerded up nicely and what does he do only try to make himself look cool again! Only nobody is fooled. Not the students and not the teachers and certainly not the hoolies, 'hoolie' being short for ‘hooligan’, Richie Robinson at the helm.

   2010, P[eter] R. Prendergast, chapter 3, in Dancing in the Dark, Dublin: The O’Brien Press, →ISBN, page 27

   Synonyms: hool, agitator, bad boy, bad news, bear, beggar, bhoy, blackguard

plural hoolies

1. IrelandalternativeAlternative spelling of hooley (“a noisy celebration or party”).

   The celebratory ceilidh at the Culag Hotel in Lochinver is still talked about. 'Oh, it was a fine evening,' one discreet woman said to me. 'A right damn wild hoolie!' a well-oiled friend enthused.

   2010, Andrew Greig, At the Loch of the Green Corrie, London: Quercus Editions, published 2011, →ISBN, page 189

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   Indeed, our Recording Date was only yesterday and, thanks to a myriad of ongoing so-called technical 'snafus' (more media lingo – you'll get used to it!), we didn't leave the studio (get me, eh?!) until one in the morning, after which our presenters, Jiz and Liz, were in a right fouler, so we all piled back to Jane's gaff for champagne on tap and a wild sort of hoolie that had cocaine and everything, […]

   2015, Kevin Maher, Last Night on Earth, London: Little, Brown, →ISBN, book 2, page 125

2. ScotlandalternativeAlternative spelling of hooley (“a strong wind”).

   The weather was fine when we first went in but unfortunately it started blowing a ‘hoolie’ in the evening.

   2014, Mike Smith, “Warmer Climes—Wives—Guns—Brunhilde”, in Ships ’n Boats ’n Tales Afloat, Bridlington, Yorkshire: Lodge Books, →ISBN, page 66

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   Bertie held mum's hand tightly as the wind was by now blowing a hoolie and Bertie did not feel very safe as he felt that he was close to being blown off his paws on more than one occasion.

   2012, Rosalind James, Bertie Rides Again, [Bloomington, Ind.]: Xlibris, →ISBN, page 33

   I am arriving at the view that we have probably all been battered and bruised by being flung about the cabin as the boat heels over on its ear. We have all felt queasy (at best) when the wind and tide are battling it out in a hoolie and got cold, wet and miserable.

   2012, Andy Lear, “The Social Aspect of Yachting”, in The Joys of Yachting, Morrisville, N.C.: Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 17