From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishplay hookyplay hookyAmerican English old-fashionedGO TO/ATTEND to stay away from school without permission SYN truant British English → hooky
Examples from the Corpus
play hooky• A boy playing hooky in Texas is not a criminal who is put away for study.• Abraham and MacGregor begin tasting that delicious sense of playing hooky from life, just like two big, naughty kids.• Maricela Roman will never forget the day her own 4-year-old ratted on her when she tried to play hooky.play hookyplay hookyAmerican English, play truant British EnglishSE to stay away from school without permission → playExamples from the Corpus
play hooky• Maricela Roman will never forget the day her own 4-year-old ratted on her when she tried to play hooky.• Abraham and MacGregor begin tasting that delicious sense of playing hooky from life, just like two big, naughty kids.• A boy playing hooky in Texas is not a criminal who is put away for study. 