Now dial. [f. LOB sb.1 + COCK.] A country bumpkin; a clown, lout, boor; a heavy dull creature; a blundering fool.
a. 1553. Udall, Roister D., III. iii. (Arb.), 44. Ye are … Such a lilburne, such a hoball, such a lobcocke.
1594. Nashe, Unfort. Trav., 76. Seneca and Lucan were lobcockes to choose that death.
1611. Cotgr., Richereau, a wealthie chuffe, rich lobcocke, well-lined boore.
1694. Motteux, Rabelais, V. xix. (1737), 83. We are a silly sort of Grout-headed Lobcocks.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Lobcock, a heavy, dull Fellow.
1710–1. Swift, Lett. (1767), III. 135. Again at the lobby, like a lobcock, of the house of commons, about your Irish yarn.
1719. D’Urfey, Pills, IV. 171. Ev’ry Lobcock hath his Wench.
1875. Lancash. Gloss., Lobcock, a great, idle, young person.
1895. E. Anglia Gloss., Lobcock, Lubbock, a lout, a lubber.
attrib. and appos. 1577. Breton, Wks. Young Wit (L.). I now must leave you all, alas, And live with some old lobcock ass! Ibid. (1577–82), Flourish Fancie (Grosart), 15/2. The lobcoke Lust.
1606. Wily Beguiled (1623), C. Your lubberly legges would not carry your lobcocke body.
Hence † Lobcocked a., loutish, boorish.
1606. Wily Beguiled (1623), G. Such a great, long, large, lobcokt, loseld Lurden.
