subs. (common).—1. A fellow-workman; a mate; a CHUM (q.v.).
1860. W. WHITE, Round Wrekin, 34. BOBBER being the equivalent of chum.
1871. Daily News, May 19. As he sells these, the buyers or their BOBBERS carry them off.
2. (old).—A scoffer: see BOB, sub. 9.
1576. T. NEWTON, tr. Lemnius’s The Touchstone of Complexions, 99. The Cholerique are bitter taunters, dry BOBBERS, nyppinge gybers and skornefull mockers of others.
3. (common).—A spurious plural of BOB (q.v.) = a shilling.
18[?]. The Sporting Times [A Dictionary of Slang, Jargon & Cant]. So down I gets and finds a two BOBBER. My mate gives me the wink, but the slavey’s on the job, so I say, ‘Oh, miss, if I ain’t found a two BOBBER.’
