[f. SOB v.1 + -ING1.] The action of giving vent to sobs; the sound produced by this. Also freq. in pl.
sing. c. 1300. Havelok, 234. Þer was sobbing, siking, and sor.
1340. Ayenb., 211. Saint gregorie zaiþ þet zoþliche bidde god is biter zobbinge of uorþenchinge.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 3615. Þerfore sobbyng & sorow ses at þis tyme.
c. 1475. Henryson, Orpheus & Eurydice (B), 151. Thar was na solace mycht his sobbing cess.
1526. Skelton, Magnyf., 1877. I pray the,… let be thy sobbynge.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, II. (Arb.), 63. In vayne with sobbing was oft that od eccho repeated.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turkes (1638), 46. Andronicus … comming vnto his presence … with sobbing and teares.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 755. He deeply groans With patient Sobbing.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1824), I. 211. Sobbing is the sigh still more invigorated.
1835. T. Mitchell, Aristoph. Acharn., 629, note. The act of sobbing follows that of weeping and tearing the hair.
1876. M. Foster, Physiol., II. ii. (1879), 356. In sobbing a series of … convulsive inspirations follow each other slowly, the glottis being closed earlier than in the case of hiccough.
transf. 1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 339. The sobbing in the stomach called the Hicket.
pl. c. 1440. Jacob’s Well (1897), 12. He hadde swyche sorwe, syȝhynges, sobbynges in þe throte.
1630. Drumm. of Hawth., Flowers of Sion, 26. The hoarse Sobbings of the widow’d Doue.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 164, ¶ 5. His Voice, which was broke with Sighs and Sobbings.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), II. 102. I heard the bitter sobbings of the servants.
1836. E. Howard, R. Reefer, x. I … felt all happiness amidst my sobbings.
