Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to sunbathe; thus backform. rays n.

1967–8		Baker et al. CUSS 182: Ray [...] Rays, bag [...] Rays, catch [...] Rays, cop the [...] Rays, get [...] Rays, gorp up the [...] Rays, grab some [...] Rays, lap some [...] Rays, soak in the [...] Rays, take in [...] Rays, take some Sunbathe.
1970		(con. 1950s) H. Junker ‘The Fifties’ in Eisen Age of Rock 2 (1970) 101: I dunno, whaddya wanna do? Catch some rays.
1978		A. Maupin Tales of the City (1984) 159: He needed all the rays he could get.
1982		A. Maupin Further Tales of the City (1984) 71: I’ll catch some rays in the courtyard.
1984		Eble Campus Sl. Mar. 6: Soak some rays.
1991		D. Gaines Teenage Wasteland 58: It’s a warm spring afternoon. A good day to cop some rays.
1992		D. Burke Street Talk 2 2: Have you heard their latest hit, ‘Baggin Some Rays on the Beach with My Homey?’.
1998		(con. 1986) G. Pelecanos Sweet Forever 36: Kids played Frisbee and caught sun and walked bandanna-clad dogs.
1999		Dr Dre ‘Ackrite’ 🎵 It was just one of those days / when I wanted to catch sunrays.
2000		N. Barlay Crumple Zone 160: Hi baby you’re probably out soaking up the rays.
2006		E. St Aubyn Mothers Milk 48: Jilly’s poolside, catching some rays.
2012		C. Eble (ed.) UNC-CH Campus Sl. 2011.

2. (US teen) goodbye, a feasible alternative farewell in sun-drenched California.

2002

‘Valley Girls’ on Paranoiafanzine 🌐 So congrats! You’re ready to take your place among totally warm babes and viscious dudes alike! Catch some rays!