alairy, adv. dial.
(əˈlɛərɪ)
[Cf. aliry adv.]
(See quots.)
The expression is doubtless much older but printed evidence is lacking.
| 1916 ‘N. Douglas’ London Street Games 5 There are other ball-games, such as..One-Two-Three-And-A-Lairy (I wish I knew what a-lairy meant). 1958 Medium ævum XXVII. 113 The game often played by little girls, in Northern England at least, where the player bounces a ball on the ground, catching it with one hand, keeping the score by chanting ‘One, two, three, alairy..’, and accompanying each ‘alairy’ with a circular swing of the leg so as to describe a loop around but not obstruct the rising ball. 1959 I. & P. Opie Lore & Lang. Schoolchildren vii. 108 One, two, three a-lairy, My ball's down the airie. |