subs. (old).—1. A hard drinker; a confirmed tippler: see LUSHINGTON: Fr. bibassier.
1653. MIDDLETON, The Spanish Gipsy, ii., 1. Though I am no mark in respect of a huge butt, yet I can tell you great BUBBERS have shot at me. [There is a play in the word ‘butt.’]
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. BUBBER, c. a drinking Bowl; also a great Drinker, and he that used to Steal Plate from Publick-houses.
2. (old).—A drinking bowl.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. BUBBER. A drinking bowl, etc.
3. (old).—A public house thief (q.v.).
1674. R. HEAD, Canting Academy, 191.
| The tenth is a shop-lift that carris a bob, | |
| When he ranges the city, the shops for to rob; | |
| Th’ eleventh’s a BUBBER, much used of late, | |
| He goes to the alehouse, and there steals their plate. |
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. BUBBER. … a great drinker. A thief that steals plate from publick houses.
4. (American).—An old woman with large pendulous breasts: see BUBBY.
1848. BARTLETT, Dictionary of Americanisms BUBBER. A stout or stoutly mammalated old woman. Used in Salem, Mass., in 1820, and since. ‘BUBBER Jones.’ (Fr. poitron, old woman; Old Fr. pect. poitron; Lat. pectus, the breast.)
