Advertisement

lubber (n.)

mid-14c., "big, clumsy, stupid fellow who lives in idleness," from lobre, earlier lobi "lazy lout," probably of Scandinavian origin (compare Swedish dialectal lubber "a plump, lazy fellow"). But OED suggests a possible connection with Old French lobeor "swindler, parasite," with sense altered by association with lob (n.) in the "bumpkin" sense. Sometimes also Lubbard (1580s), with pejorative suffix -ard.

Since 16c. mainly a sailors' word for those inept or inexperienced at sea (as in landlubber), but earliest attested use is of lazy monks (abbey-lubber). Compare also provincial English lubberwort, name of the mythical herb that produces laziness (1540s), Lubberland "imaginary land of plenty without work" (1590s).

lubber (v.)

"to sail clumsily; to loaf about," 1520s, from lubber (n.). Related: Lubbered; lubbering.

Others are reading

Advertisement
Definitions of lubber from WordNet

lubber (n.)
an awkward stupid person;
Synonyms: lout / clod / stumblebum / goon / oaf / lummox / lump / gawk
lubber (n.)
an inexperienced sailor; a sailor on the first voyage;
Synonyms: landlubber / landsman
From wordnet.princeton.edu

Dictionary entries near lubber

lozenge

LP

LSD

Ltd.

luau

lubber

lubberly

lube

Lubish

lubric

lubricant