An imperfect or spoiled ear of corn.
1850. The Major fed well, all but horses, and they had to trust the chances of a stray nubbin falling through the chinks of the stable loft.—H. C. Lewis (‘Madison Tensas’), ‘Odd Leaves,’ p. 161 (Phila.).
1855. You brought him out twenty large ears of corn—no nubbins—and three bundles of fodder.—W. G. Simms, ‘The Forayers,’ p. 364 (N.Y.). (Italics in the original.)
1855. Tarpole is jist next to the best nag that ever shelled nubbins.—Oregon Weekly Times, May 12.
1859. Bill, take the hoss, and give him plenty of corn: no nubbins, Bill.—Knick. Mag., liii. 318 (March).
1860. [Seward] will do more for the South than any of your nubbin men. [Men that can be bribed, “as we hold an ear of corn before the nose of an ox, to make him pull up hill.”]—Letter reprinted in Richmond Enquirer, April 17, p. 1/2.
1866. He might probably make a peck to the acre of peckerwood nubbins.—C. H. Smith, ‘Bill Arp,’ p. 95.
1897. Well, that ’s the biggest shuck and the littlest nubbin I ever did see.—Gen. H. Porter, ‘Campaigning with Grant,’ Century Mag., liv. 591/1 (Aug.). (N.E.D.)
