"lob-lolly boy"
George Thompson
george.thompson at NYU.EDU
Sat Feb 27 02:43:14 UTC 2010
[George Nasson, "keeper of a refectory at No. 3 Scott's court, Boston," charges Henry Crump, who had been "employed at his refectory as a sort of lob-lolly boy, opening oysters, boiling chowder, frying fish, washing dishes" of stealing $260 and several watches] N-Y D Express, August 30, 1837, p. 2, col. 5
OED:
2. A bumpkin, rustic, boor. 1604 BRETON Grimello's Fort. (Grosart) 9/2 This Loblollie, with slauering lips, would be making loue. 1675 COTTON Scoffer Scoft 86 He Lies gaping like a great Loblolly. 1694 MOTTEUX Rabelais IV. xxi, That jolt-headed Loblolly of a Carter. 1894 R. LEIGHTON Wreck Golden Fleece 91 Blest if you aren't worth a dozen o' these Low's~toff loplollies.
Fills a 200-year gap, and a twist to the sense.
GAT
George A. Thompson
Author of A Documentary History of "The African Theatre", Northwestern Univ. Pr., 1998, but nothing much lately.
------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
More information about the Ads-l
mailing list