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 1860. Chambers' Jl. xiii. 154. On the banks of the winding but now streamless creeks, there was generally a solitary inn or squatter's hut, where the universal nobbler of brandy and a snack of food were to be procured.

1870. Amphion, in Baily's Mag., xix. 172. Who hit his leg for Spite or for pelf, Was it the nobbler, or Was it himself?

1873. Braddon, To the Bitter End, xliv. He had eaten nothing since yesterday, but he did not get through these dismal hours of suspense without an occasional nobbler.

1881. Grant, Bush Life, 1. 243. He must drink a nobbler with Tom, and be prepared to 'shout' for all hands at least once a day.

1888. Boldrewood, Robbery Under Arms, iii. We used to make it a point of drinking our nobbler, and sometimes treating the others twice, if we had cash.

NOBBLE-TREE, subs. phr. (provincial).—The head; the NOB (q.v.).

NOBBY, subs. (provincial).—A fool. See Buffle and Cabbage-head.

Adj. (colloquial).—1. Smart; elegant; fashionable. Also NOBBISH, NOBBILY, and NABBY.

1808. Jamieson, Dict. Scot. Lang., s.v. Nobby. Neat, trim, well dressed; hence applied to a person who dresses above his position.

c. 1810. Broadside Ballad And all the coves said, what around did stan', That he were a werry nobby dog's meat man.

1844. Selby, London by Night ii. 1. My togs being in keeping with this nobby place.

1847. Albert Smith, Nat. Hist, of the Gent, x. 67. He would think that he was not nobby if he did not have some wretched champagne.

1852. Dickens, Bleak House, liv. The nobbiest way of keeping it quiet.

d.1870. Dickens, Our English Watering-Place, in Reprinted Pieces, 167. So far from being at a discount as to company, we are in fact what would be popularly called rather a nobby place. Some tip-top nobbs come down occasionally—even Dukes and Duchesses.

1897. Sporting Times, 13 Mar. 1. 1. Who says a go o' nobby whelks?

NOBLE. To bring a noble to NINE-PENCE, verb. phr. (old).—To decline in fortune.—B. E. (c. 1696).

1725. N. Bailey tr. Erasmus, Colloquies, 1. 348. En. Have you given over study then! Po. Altogether; I have brought a noble to ninepence, and of a master of seven arts I am become a workman of but one art.

See Beggar's Noble.

NOBLE ART, subs. phr. (common).—Pugilism; boxing.

NOB-PITCHER, subs. (old).—See quot. 1819, and Nob, sense 3.

1819. Vaux, Memoirs, s.v. Nob-*pitchers: A general term for those sharpers who attend at fairs, races, etc. To take in the flats at prick-in-the-garter, cups and balls, and other similar artifices.

1823. Grose, Vulg. Tongue [Egan], s.v.

NOBS-HOUSES, subs. phr. (old).—The Houses of Parliament.—Bee (1823).

NOB'S NOB, subs. phr. (old).—King George IV.—Bee (1823).

NOB-STICK.—See Knobstick.

NOB-THATCH, subs, (common).—The hair.

1865. Yates, Land at Last, vii. You look, tho' you've got a paucity of nob-thatch, and what 'air you 'ave is gray.

NOB-THATCHER, subs. phr. (common).—A wig-maker; a strummel-faker (q.v.). Also a straw-bonnet maker.—Grose (1823).

1823. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, i. 5. Now you can make an assignation with some of our dashing straw-chippers and nob-thatchers in Burlington Arcade.