Skylark

verb SKY-lark ˈskaɪlaːk

Also spelled sky-lark, skylarkin

To fool around, waste time, or mess about instead of being serious — 'stop skylark an do di work' means stop messing about and get on with it. It labels idle, playful time-wasting when you ought to be focused, the larking and dawdling of someone not applying themselves. A common everyday word of mild rebuke, it is aimed at children shirking their chores or lessons and at anyone frittering away time in play when there is work to be done, urging them to settle and be serious.

  • Dem a skylark inna di back a di class.

    They're fooling around at the back of the class.

  • Nuh skylark wid mi money.

    Don't mess about with my money.

  • Wi nuh have time fi skylark.

    We don't have time to waste.

From 'skylark' (originally sailors' slang for larking about in the rigging); to play around and waste time.

To fool around / waste time. Compare 'ramp' (to play), 'nuh ramp wid mi'.