Wiktionary
play hookey
alt. (context intransitive idiomatic English) to be absent without permission, especially from school vb. (context intransitive idiomatic English) to be absent without permission, especially from school
Usage examples of "play hookey".
They followed the little boys and girls on their way to church lest they play hookey.
He watched them go regretfully, more than a little tempted to play hookey himself.
And as I stood there on that rickety landin in my wet galoshes, I knew well enough why I'd chosen to be on those stairs that are so rotted not even the hellions will play on em after school lets out, or on the days when they play hookey.
He would not play hookey, even when his sober judgment told him it was the most profitable thing he could do.