pull a sickie

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pull a sickie (third-person singular simple present pulls a sickie, present participle pulling a sickie, simple past and past participle pulled a sickie)

1. (slang, Britain, Australia, New Zealand) To take a day off from work feigning ill health.
   • 2015 November 7, White, Lucy, “The most acceptable reasons to take a sick day revealed”, in The Independent‎:

     But not all excuses for pulling a sickie are equal, it seems.

   • 2016 June 16, Andrews, James; Rampen, Julia, “Can you be sacked for watching England-Wales at work? These are your rights”, in Daily Mirror‎:

     We decided to check exactly what your boss can - and can't - do to employees who bunk off, tune in at work, slide off to the pub or pull a sickie.

• (claim a sick day): chuck a sickie, throw a sickie, see also Thesaurus:shirk