▪ I. † ˈrib-roast, n. Obs.
[f. next.]
1. Beating, cudgelling.
| 1595 Maroccus Extaticus p. iii, Such a peece of filching is..punishable with ribroast. 1630 J. Taylor (Water P.) Navy of Land Ships Wks. i. 83/2 Her Mariners doe..endure much hardnesse,..yet many times they are allowed more Lamb and Ribroste then they would have. 1665 R. Brathwait Comment Two Tales (1901) 57 Truth is, he was shrewd to me, and gave me store of rib roast. |
2. fig. A damaged part.
| 1654 Gayton Pleas. Notes iii. i. 69 There is no flaw, no shoulder-spraine, hip-shot, nor rib-rost in thy credit. |
▪ II. ˈrib-roast, v. Now arch.
[f. rib n.1 + roast v.]
trans. To belabour with a cudgel; to beat severely; to thrash. Also fig.
| 1570 North Doni's Mor. Philos. iv. 100 After he had well fauouredly ribbe rosted his poore innocent wife. 1589 [Nashe] Almond for Parrat 11 Ile ribroste my brother Martin a little, for obiecting..the not answering of his bookes. 1599 ― Lenten Stuffe 12 Not a victuelar..but was rib-roasted or had some of his ribbes crusht. 1618 Rowlands Night Raven (1620) D iij, Tom, take thou a cudgell, and rib roast him. 1694 Motteux Rabelais v. xxvii. (1737) 121 Who us'd to baste, rib-roast, swaddle, and swinge them well-favour'dly. 1740 tr. De Mouhy's Fort. Country Maid (1741) II. 289 He was rib-roasted according to his Merits. 1796 Grose's Vulgar T. (ed. 3) s.v., I'll rib⁓roast him to his heart's content. 1809 W. Irving Knickerb. (1861) 119 Impounding horses, and sometimes grievously rib-roasting their owners. 1890 ‘R. Boldrewood’ Col.-Reformer (1891) 188 Brandon..was engaged..in rib-roasting Darkie to make him ‘come out of that’. |
Hence ˈrib-roasted ppl. a.; ˈrib-roaster, a severe blow on the ribs.
| 1755 Smollett Quix. (1803) I. 43 The peasant staid till it was quite dark, that the poor rib-roasted knight might not be seen in such a woful condition. 1854 ‘C. Bede’ Verdant Green ii. 16 There's a regular rib-roaster for you. |