Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 6 trylly-, trylybubbe, 7 trilla-, 6–9 trillibub; 6 trully-, trullibub(be, 7– trullibub. Cf. TROLLIBOBS, -BAGS. [Origin obscure.] Chiefly (now always) pl.: Entrails, the inwards of an animal.
Often in the alliterative collocation tripes and trillibubs.
1519. Horman, Vulg., 155 b. Let vs haue trypis, chetterlyngis, and tryllybubbys ynough [aulicoctia ad satietatem].
1542. Boorde, Dyetary, xvii. (1870), 276. All the inwardes of beestes and of fowles, as the … trypes, and trylybubbes.
1599. Massinger, etc., Old Law, III. ii. I hope my guts will hold, and that’s e’en all A gentleman can look for of such trillibubs.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. T., Tripes and trullibubs, the entrails, also a jeering appellation for a fat man.
1823. Moor, Suffolk Words, Trullibubs, a low coarse term among butchers for the entrails generally of animals.
1883. Hampsh, Gloss., Trullibubs, the intestines.
b. Applied to a person or animal. (See also Eng. Dial. Dict., s.v. trolly-bags.)
1600. Dekker, Gentle Craft, iv. Run wife, bid your maids, your trullibubs, make ready my fine mens breakfasts.
1614. B. Jonson, Bart. Fair, I. iii. There cannot be an ancient Tripe or Trillibub i’ the Towne, but thou art straight nosing it.
1785. [see above].
† c. In alliterative collocation tricks and trillibubs. In quot. 1632, trilly bubkins is a nonce diminutive. Obs.
1632. Brome, Novella, I. ii. Such Curles, such Purles, such Tricks and Trilly bubkins As Mayds would turne no Mayds almost to see ’hem!
1637. Shirley, Hyde Park, III. ii. I forgive thee, and forget thy tricks And trillabubs…. Wenches must have their ways.
