or lobb, subs. (old).—1.  See quote. Fr. la grenouille. Cf. DAMPER.

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  1718.  C. HIGGIN, True Discovery, 15. Either by a sint, alias gold watch … or by a wedge LOBB, alias gold or silver snuff-box.

2

  1754.  POULTER, The Discoveries of John Poulter, p. 42. A LOBB full of glibbs, a box full of ribbons.

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  1857.  SNOWDEN, Magistrates Assistant, 3rd ed., p. 445. A till—a LOB.

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  1859.  G. W. MATSELL, Vocabulum; or, The Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v.

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  2.  (old).—A blockhead; a lubber. For synonyms, see BUFFLE and CABBAGE-HEAD.

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  1577.  WHETSTONE, Remembraunce [of Gascoigne].

        But as the drone the honey hive doth rob,
With woorthy books so deals this idle LOB.

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  1592.  SHAKESPEARE, Midsummer Night’s Dream, ii. 1. Farewell, thou LOB of spirits, I’ll begone.

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  1600.  Grim, the Collier of Croydon, iv. [DODSLEY, Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, viii., 443].

        Well, here in Croydon will I first begin
To frolic it among the country LOBS.

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  1661.  GAUDEN, Anti Baal-Berith, 12. This is the wonted way for quacks and cheats to gull country LOBS.

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  3.  (colloquial).—A large lump.

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  1863.  Once a Week, iii. 535. Well instead of about a pennyweight, as Joe had expected, the old fellow washed out a good half-ounce at least, so he must have a regular LOB of gold stowed away somewhere.

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  4.  (cricket).—A slow underhand ball; delivered low and falling heavily, its course a decided curve. At Winchester LOB = YORKER (q.v.).

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  [See also SNORTER, UNDERGROUNDER, TRIMMER, TEAPOT, SWIPER, STRINGER, GRUBBER, YORKER.]

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  1892.  Cassell’s Saturday Journal, 21 Sept., p. 13, col. 3. 1 would have to try all sorts of bowling—right and left hand, fast and slow, LOBS, yorkers, and every other variety.

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  5.  (pugilists’).—The head. For synonyms, see CRUMPET.

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  6.  (venery).—A partial erection: e.g., a urinary LOB.

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  TO FRISK (DIP, PINCH, or SNEAK) A LOB, verb. phr. (old).—To rob a till. TO GO ON THE LOB = to go into a shop for change and to steal some. Hence LOB-SNEAKING = robbing tills; LOB-CRAWLER = a till-thief.

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  1742.  CHARLES JOHNSON, Highwaymen and Pyrates, 252. He was also very good for the LOB.

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  1868.  Temple Bar, xxiv. 537. Stealing the till and opening the safe is what we call LOB-SNEAKING and Peter-screwing.

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  1887.  J. W. HORSLEY, Jottings from Jail. Poor old Tim, the LOB-CRAWLER fell from Racker and got pinched.

21

  Verb. (old).—1.  To droop; to sprawl.

22

  1599.  SHAKESPEARE, Henry V., iv. 2. Their poor jades LOB down their heads.

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  1821.  P. EGAN, Real Life in London, i. 187. The dancing party … were LOBBING their lolleys on the table.

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  2.  (cricketers’).—To bowl a ball as a LOB (q.v.).

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