The Game of High Jinks

Today when we talk of “high jinks” (or more commonly high jinx), we typically mean horseplay but in the 17th century, “high jinks” was a boisterous drinking game characterized by the antics and boisterous or rambunctious carryings-on that this game originally produced. The name is derived from the Scottish word jink which means “to turn quickly or move nimbly to one side.” Of course, Scots is not a precise language so it could also mean “to trick or cheat.” This will become clearer as we read on… The other Scots word of this phrase “Hy” or sometimes “hoy” is an encouragement shouted to urge someone on. We see this word in our modern – Highway.

To play High Jinks dice are thrown by two opposing sides. The side with the low score must then choose between drinking more alcohol or performing an undignified task (generally specified by the winner). It was a sort of “Truth or Dare” only with vast quantities of booze.

For those of you not familiar with drinking games, these are games which involve the consumption of alcoholic beverages and the subsequent intoxication resulting from them. Drinking games date back to antiquity. Many institutions (like universities and the military)

“And as to all those Shooing-horns of drunkenness, the keeping every one his man, the throwing Hey-jinks, the filling of bumpers, the drinking two in a hand, the beginning of Mistresses healths; and then the roaring out of drunken catches, the calling in a Fidler, the leading out every one his Lady to dance, and such like riotous pastimes, …”  

—Witt against Wisdom, or, A Panegyrick Upon Folly (Desiderius Erasmus, 1683)

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