Thanks for confirming -- I didn't trust my own ears for such a strange fragment of a sentence! It turns out it comes from a book called "The Foolish Dictionary

Thanks for confirming -- I didn't trust my own ears for such a strange fragment of a sentence! It turns out it comes from a book called "The Foolish Dictionary: An exhausting work of reference to un-certain english words, their origin, meaning, legitimate and illegitimate use, confused by a few pictures" by Wurdz and Goldsmith. (Talk about nominative determinism -- a dictionary by Wurds?) Full entry: HAMMOCK From the Lat. hamus, hook, and Grk. makar, happy. Happiness on hooks. Also, a popular contrivance whereby love-making may be suspended but not stopped during the picnic season.