Definition of "nobber"

She put her hand mechanically to the back of her head. "Ay, ay," said he, seeing the blood, “it was a nobber. I'll doctor it though: here; Sam, some water; let's see what harm's done." He was just going to wash the head of Madge , when his attention was called off by the exclamations of the ...

1840, Henry Downes Miles, Dick Turpin, T. White, page 119

Spring went in, and planted a nobber that sent Carter down like a log.

1880, Henry Downes Miles, Pugilistica: Being One Hundred and Forty-four Years of the History of British Boxing, Weldon & Company, page 8

He had received what Egan would have called a "ribber" and a "nobber," and when he arose it was seen that the latter had raised a cut on his forehead.

1967, A. Lawrance Holmes, More Than a Game, Macmillan, page 170

Jock, I hate to have to tell you this, mate, but you slaughtered a perfectly healthy hound. A whippet is like a miniature greyhound and they're used for dog racing on the track or chasing hares and rabbits in fields. They are meant to be lean, you nobber!

2010, Marc Wilder, Superyacht X-Rated, Kings Road Publishing

Mum, if a bloke is intimidated by me because I happen to have the good fortune to have a job, then he is probably a complete nobber anyway.' 'Don't talk that way, Bryony, it's so coarse and unladylike!

2014, Bryony Gordon, The Wrong Knickers - A Decade of Chaos, Hachette UK

Pisspot was bangin her all along, and she curlin and filin and buffin herself for the Garda with the bag of urine. Had no idea! He's at her grave every mornin at six before duty with daisies and shit – the nobber!

2014, Pat Kinevane, Silent and Forgotten‎, A&C Black, page 19

Shut your mouth you nobber or I'll stick that table up your fucking pooh hole.

2016, Anna Maxted, Getting Over It‎, Random House, page 266

'Eat your heart out, Jenson Button!' shouted Dean as he yanked the steering wheel of his blue fifteen-year-old Ford Mondeo to the left. 'SHIT!' shouted James as he flinched and curled into a ball. 'You are such a nobber,' Dean yelled as the Mondeo flew out of the bend, waving his hand with exuberance to push his point home.

2018, Simon Farrant, Newdon Killers Box Set: Books 1 -3 plus bonus short story‎, Farrant Fiction

“I'm sure they'd pass her a note from you, as long as it's got a Yard seal and has been sprayed for nits. Not like you're a nobber, right?” Doyle shook his head.

2014, Lynn Viehl, Disenchanted & Co., Simon and Schuster, page 61

Was he a nobber?' 'He's not a nobber,' said DuTroy from the corner. 'He might be a nobber,' I said. 'I don't know him well enough.' 'What's he like with the mask off?' I paused. For a long time. Gertie was my best friend in the entire world.

2017, Jenny T. Colgan, Spandex and the City, Hachette UK, page 49

Puttering. At some point you're going to end up on the green. Even if you have to yell, “Hey look, everybody, the pro's getting a nobber from the beverage babe over there in the woods,” and throw the ball on the green while everyone turns his or her head.

2002, Craig Brass, How to Quit Golf: A 12-Step Program, Penguin Group, page 129

As soon as he has sufficient coal picked loose to make it inconvenient he shovels it into the end of the chute; here it is taken charge of by a boy (called a nobber), who works it down the chute.

1894, California State Mining Bureau, Report of the State Mineralogist - Issue 12, State Office, page 47

The work was commonly done by a mining team consisting of an experienced miner and an assistant, usually a young boy, known as a nobber.

1980, California Division of Mines and Geology, California Geology, page 57

The trouble is, the beggars scatter as soon as you turn round with the hat. You really want a nobber [assistant] at this game. You keep at work and get a crowd watching you, and the nobber comes casual-like round the back of them. They don't know he's the nobber.

2001, George Orwell, Orwell and the Dispossessed‎, Penguin UK

'Want a nobber, mate, to help you?' 'A nobber's no good here,' said the man. 'I can collect the clods myself.'

2008, Howell Davies, Congratulate the Devil‎, Summersdale Publishers, page 189