Now dial. Also (? erron.) Cobs pound, 8 Hob’s pound. [See LOB sb.2 2.] Prison; jail; the lock-up. Also fig., an entanglement, difficulty.
1597. E. S., Discov. Knights of Post, B. Knightes of the Poste, Lords of lobs pound, and heires apparant to the pillory.
1612. Pasquil’s Night-Cap (1877), 64. There is the Woodcocke fall’n into the gin, And in Lobs-pound intangled by a wile.
1639. J. Clarke, Parœmiologia, 188. Hee’s in Cobs pound.
1663. Butler, Hud., I. iii. 910. Crowdero, whom in Irons bound, Thou basely threw’st into Lob’s pound Where still he lies.
1657. G. Digby, Elvira, II. 23. He hath us faith Fast in Lobb’s Pound.
1694. Echard, Plautus, 8. If Mr Constable and his Watch shou’d pick m’up and in wi’ me to Lobs-Pound?
1796. Mme. D’Arblay, Camilla, IV. iii. What! are you all in Hob’s pound?
1829. Bentham, Justice & Cod. Petit., Wks. 1843, V. 494. From the sheriff the information would, in course, pass on to the defendant, when the time came for his finding himself in Lob’s pound.
1895. E. Anglia Gloss., Lobspound, to be in any difficulty or perplexed state.
