"lob-lolly boy"

[Jesse Sheidlower]

On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 09:43:14PM -0500, George Thompson wrote:
> [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.

Actually, if you move down a bit you'll see that OED has an
entry for the compound _lob-lolly boy_, that includes the
sense 'an errand-boy, man of all work', with a quotation from
1836, so it's not a real interdating, but it's a good quote.

Jesse Sheidlower
OED

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