a. [a. F. lubrique or ad. L. lūbric-us, f. Aryan root *sleub-: see SLIP v.]
1. Smooth and slippery. Now rare.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, vii. 32. Fortune … sette … vnder the feet of the righte chaste quene, thyng slypper and lubrik, for to make hir to ouerthrowe.
1609. Hume, Admonit. Poems (S.T.S.), 171. Behold at how narrow a rift that awld lubrik serpent hathe slydin in.
1646. Crashaw, Musicks Duell, 64, in Steps to Temple, 105. Sobs, whose thundring volleyes float And roule themselves over her lubricke throat In panting murmurs.
1681. Cotton, Wond. Peak (ed. 4), 61. The Roof does sloping rise In a steep, craggy, and a lubrick Shore.
1813. Hogg, Queen’s Wake, 290. The glossy sea was heaving bright … While far on her lubric bosom were seen The magic dyes of purple and green.
1852. Fraser’s Mag., XLVI. 84. They … turn up successively a dirty white belly or brown lubric back.
1867. J. B. Rose, trans. Virgil’s Æneid, 120. A lubric serpent.
† 2. fig. Slippery, shifty; unsteady, unsettled; prone to danger or error. Obs.
1631. R. H., Arraignm. Whole Creature, xiv. § 1. 230. For life it selfe, alas how uncertaine Lubrick and fraile is it.
1646. J. Hall, Horæ Vac., 109. Lubrick is the estate of Favorites.
1660. J. Lloyd, Prim. Episc., 44. These adorations of the Cross &c. … were very lubrick, so that it was a difficult matter to stand upright in them, and not to fall to superstition or idolatry.
† 3. Lascivious; wanton. Obs.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, ix. 36. Ne to make foul the holy purpose of thy castymonye by thuntrue note of lubryke & slypper luxurye.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., I. 103. This king he wox rycht vile … Lubrik and louss, with licherous appetyte.
1592. R. D., Hypnerotomachia, 44. My venerious Lubric and incessing spurre of desire.
a. 1637. Dekker, Witch Edmonton, III. Wks. 1873, IV. 388. If I finde Any loose lubrick scapes in him.
1686. Dryden, Elegy Miss A. Killigrew, 63. This lubrique and adult’rate age.
