Anglo-Irish. Forms: 7 bonneyclabber, bon(n)iclabber, bonny-clabbore, bony-clabo, 7–8 bonny clabber, 8 bonnaclaber, 7–9 bonniclapper, bonnyclabber. [a. Irish bainne milk, claba thick. (O’Reilly).]
Milk naturally clotted or coagulated on souring; called in Scotland loppert or lappert milk.
1631. B. Jonson, New Inn, I. i. To drink such balderdash, or bonny-clabber.
1631. R. H., Arraignm. Whole Creature, v. 36. They would eate the sowrest Bonniclapper.
1635. Strafford, Lett. (1739), I. 441. All the comfort I have is a little Bonneyclabber … it is the bravest, freshest drink you ever tasted.
1691. Tryon, Wisd. Dictates, 152. Bonniclabber is nothing else but Milk that has stood till it is sower, and become of a thick slippery substance.
1716. T. Ward, Engl. Ref., 234. Curds, Cream, and Hatted-Bonnaclaber, Wou’d make a hungry Parson Caper.
1730. Swift, Answ. Craftsman, ad fin. Wks. 1764, XIII. 202. The people live with comfort on potatoes and bonnyclabber.
1883. M. Howland, in Harper’s Mag., March, 603/2. I had so much bonny-clabber, or curdled milk, that I did not know what to do with it.
attrib. 1689. G. Harvey, Curing Dis. by Expect., vi. 38. These Bonny-Clabber Physicians are deservedly censured Criminal.
