a. and adv. [f. LUBBER sb. + -LY.] A. adj.
1. of the nature of a lubber; coarse of figure and dull of intellect, loutish; clumsy; lazy; stupid; sometimes transf. of animals and inanimate things. Also of things: Appropriate to or characteristic of a lubber.
1573. Tusser, Husb., ix. (1878), 17. To raise betimes the lubberly, Both Snorting Hob and Margery.
1598. Shaks., Merry W., V. v. 195. I came yonder at Eaton to marry Mistris Anne Page, and she’s a great lubberly boy.
1618. Bolton, Florus (1636), 171. They … according to their lubberly wits, assayd to stop it first with their bodies.
1671. Clarendon, Dial., Tracts (1727), 323. Those lubberly fellows, who come from great schools after they are nineteen or twenty years of age.
1728. Vanbr. & Cibber, Prov. Husb., I. Wks. (1730), 230. I wonder … you will encourage that lad to swill his guts thus with such beastly, lubberly liquor.
1759. Wesley, Wks. (1872), II. 477. All but four or five lubberly men seemed almost persuaded to be Christians.
1838. Dickens, O. Twist, x. ‘I did that, sir,’ said a great lubberly fellow, stepping forward.
1847. J. Wilson, Chr. North (1857), I. 139. Great lubberly Leicesters or Southdowns [sheep].
1859. Miss Cary, Country Life (1876), 188. A lubberly, yellow-haired boy of twelve years old kicks open the door.
1862. J. Grant, Capt. Guard, xxii. Great lubberly barges were dragged to and fro by horses of equally lubberly aspect.
1864. Burton, Scot Abr., I. iv. 184. James … in his lubberly schoolboy-like complaints about his mother, showed that he knew about them.
2. In nautical use: Resembling, pertaining to, or characteristic of a lubber; unseamanlike. Of a vessel: Managed in an unseamanlike manner.
[1695. Congreve, Love for L., II. 29. D’ee think shee’ll ever endure a great lubberly Tarpawlin?]
1795–7. Southey, Minor Poems, Poet. Wks. II. 81. You lubberly landsmen don’t know when you’re well!
1831. Trelawney, Adv. Younger Son, I. 44. You don’t take me for that lubberly school-mastering parson on board, do you?
1849. Grote, Greece, II. xlvii. VI. 87. His seamen had full leisure to contemplate what they would despise as lubberly handling of the ships.
1884. Manch. Exam., 27 Dec., 5/1. There never was a clearer case of lubberly navigation.
1887. Besant, The World went, vi. 49. One [ship] … is obedient to her helm, the other shall be lubberly and difficult to steer.
B. adv. In a lubberly manner; like a lubber; unskilfully, clumsily.
1594. Nashe, Unfort. Trav., 6. Ouer my necke he throwes himself verie lubberly.
1693. Dryden, Orig. & Progr. Satire, Ess. (ed. Ker), II. 56. A company of clowns on a holiday, dancing lubberly.
1823. Examiner, 320/1. A large frigate,… lubberly handled.
1884. Manch. Exam., 8 May, 5/2. It is difficult to imagine that … either vessel can have been so lubberly managed as to run into the other.
