Obs. Also 4 stubul, -el, 5 stubill, stubbill. [Prob. connected with STUB sb. ? Cf. STUBBORN a.]
a. ? Clumsy, awkward. b. ? Stoutly built. Stubble boy: cf. stubbed boy, STUBBED ppl. a. 2 b.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 23910. For-sak þou noght his stubul werc, For þof it rude and stubel be, It es in worscip wroght o þe.
c. 1480. Henryson, Two Mice, 92. In stubbill array throw gres and corne And vnder buskis preuilie culd thay creip.
c. 1475. Rauf Coilȝear, 522. It is lyke … That sic ane stubill husband man wald stryke stoutly.
1562. Legh, Armorie, Pref. ¶ iv. The third sort … are … very stubble curres, & be neither doers, sufferers, or wel speakers of honours tokens.
1598. R. Bernard, trans. Terence, Andria, IV. v. 86. Grandiuisculus hinc profectus est. He was a good stubble boy: a pretie bauckt ladde and of a good stature when he went from hence.
1641. Best, Farming Bks. (Surtees), 133. Wee give usually 20 s. to a good stubble boy for drivinge of the oxe plough.
Hence † Stubbleness.
1530. Palsgr., 277/2. Stubblenesse or sturdynesse, lourdesse.
