sally

sally sal·ly [sal-ee]
noun, plural sal·lies.

1. a sortie of troops from a besieged place upon an enemy.
2. a sudden rushing forth or activity.
3. an excursion or trip, usually off the main course.
4. an outburst or flight of passion, fancy, etc.: a sally of anger.
5. a clever, witty, or fanciful remark.
6. Carpentry. a projection, as of the end of a rafter beyond the notch by which the rafter is fitted over the wall plate.

verb (used without object), sal·lied, sal·ly·ing.

7. to make a sally, as a body of troops from a besieged place.
8. to set out on a side trip or excursion.
9. to set out briskly or energetically.
10. (of things) to issue forth.

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Back when we were young men, an old friend of mine and I met a couple of girls who we found attractive, but we were perplexed by their nicknames for each other: "Holly" and "Sally". Those weren't even close to their real names and when we'd ask why they called each other that, they'd just giggle. I finally got it out of the one I was dating; it was "Sally Slut" and "Holly Whore". They really weren't those types of girls and it must have been some private, inside joke.  I hoped so, anyway.

I never see or hear the word "sally" used - other than a proper name - these days;  it's always in some old book and usually refers to a battle "Sally forth!" cried the commander of the fort. (or something like that)  Come to think of it, I don't think I personally know a Sally.