subs. (Christ’s Hospital).—1. A male servant of the school: his business was the care of the latrine tubs: the name is still retained for the lavatory-man.
2. (common).—A big-bellied man; FATTY (q.v.); FORTY-GUTS (q.v.). As adj. (or TUBBISH) = round-bellied, swag-bellied: like a tub.
1796. WOLCOT (‘Peter Pindar’), Works, 136.
| You look for men, whose heads are rather TUBBISH, | |
| Or, drum-like, better formed for sound than sense. |
1836. DICKENS, Sketches by Boz, ‘Mr. John Dounce.’ He was a short, round, large-faced, TUBBISH sort of man. Ibid., ‘Monmouth Street.’ We had seen him coming up to Covent Garden in his green chaise-cart with the fat TUBBY little horse.
1901. Troddles, 36. A TUBBY and short-winded keeper.
1902. Free Lance, 11 Oct., 44. 1. I was particular to find out whether the double-breasted lounge was a favourite among short and ‘TUBBY’ men.
