or gobbett, subs. (old: now vulgar).—1. A portion; a mouthful; a morsel. Also a gulp; a BOLT (q.v.). [Latin, gob = mouth: Old Fr., gob = a gulp.] SKEAT says the shorter form GOB is rare.
1380. WYCLIF, Translation of the Bible, Matthew, xiv. Thei token the relifis of broken GOBETIS, twelve cofyns ful.
1542. UDALL, The Apophthegmes of Erasmus [1877], p. 14. A bodie thinketh hymself well emended in his substaunce and riches, to whom hath happened some good GUBBE of money, and maketh a great whinyng, if he haue had any losse of the same.
1599. NASHE, Lenten Stuffe [GROSART, Works, V., 261]. And thrust him downe his pudding house at a GOBBE.
1605. CHAPMAN, All Fools, Act iii., p. 62 (Plays, 1874).
| Ri. And do you think | |
| He’ll swallow down the gudgeon? | |
| Go. A my life, | |
| It were a gross GOB would not down with him. |
1611. L. BARRY, Ram Alley, I., i.
| That little land he gave, | |
| Throate the lawyer swallowed at one GOB | |
| For less than half the worth. |
1689. SELDEN, Table-Talk, p. 50 (ARBER’S ed.). The meaning of the Law was, that so much should be taken from a man, such a GOBBET sliced off, that yet notwithstanding he might live in the same Rank and Condition he lived in before; but now they Fine men ten times more than they are worth.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. GOB (c) … also a Bit or Morsel; hence GOBBETS, now more in use for little Bits.
1748. T. DYCHE, A New General English Dictionary (5 ed.). GOB or GOBBET (s.) a piece just big enough, or fit to be put into the mouth at once.
1774. FOOTE, The Cozeners, ii., 2. The venison was over-roasted, and stunk—but Doctor Dewlap twisted down such GOBS of fat.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.
1816. JOHNSON, A Dictionary of the English Language (12th ed.). GOB, a small quantity, a low word.
1869. S. L. CLEMENS (‘Mark Twain’), The Innocents Abroad, ch. vii. It is pushed out into the sea on the end of a flat, narrow strip of land, and is suggestive of a ‘GOB’ of mud on the end of a shingle.
2. (common).—The mouth. SHUT YOUR GOB = an injunction to silence. See GAB. A SPANK ON THE GOB = a blow on the mouth. GOB-FULL OF CLARET = a bleeding at the mouth. GIFT OF THE GAB or GOB, see GAB. For synonyms, see POTATO-TRAP.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. GOB, the Mouth.
1819. T. MOORE, Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress, p. 18. Home hits in the bread-basket, clicks in the GOB. Ibid., p. 30.
1836. M. SCOTT, Tom Cringle’s Log, ch. i. ‘All right—all right,’ I then exclaimed, as I thrust half a doubled-up muffin into my GOB.
1851–61. H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, vol. I., p. 469. I managed somehow to turn my GOB (mouth) round and gnawed it away.
3. (common).—A mouthful of spittle. Fr., un copeau; It., smalzo di cavio (= gutter-butter). For synonyms, see SIXPENCES.
Verb. (common).—1. To swallow in mouthfuls; to gulp down. Also GOBBLE (q.v.).
1692. SIR R. L’ESTRANGE, Fables. Down comes a kite powdering upon them, and GOBBETS up both together.
2. (common).—To expectorate. Fr., glavioter (popular); molarder.
