rumbelow Now rare.
(ˈrʌmbələʊ)
Forms: 4–5 romby-, rumbylogh; 5 romelowe, -ylawe; 5 rom-, 6 rumbelowe, 5 rumbeloo (6 -belo, -bolo); 6 rom- (Sc. rohum-), 7 room-, 6, 9 rumbelow; 7 rumbillow.
[See sense 1; in some later uses associated with rumble v.1]
1. A meaningless combination of syllables serving as a refrain, orig. sung by sailors when rowing. (Cf. heave ho and hey-ho.)
| 13.. Coer de L. 2522 They rowede hard, and sungge ther too, With heuelow and rumbeloo. c 1315 in Brut (1906) clxxxviii. 208 [Foralsemiche as he louede forto go by watere,..maidenes made a songe þerof,..] What wende þe Kyng of Engeland haue ygete Scotlande wiþ Rombylogh. a 1400 Sqr. lowe Degre 824 Your maryners shall synge arowe Hey how and rumby lowe. c 1515 Cocke Lorell's B. C j, Some songe heue and howe rombelowe. a 1529 Skelton Bowge of Courte 252 Heue and how rombelow, row the bote, Norman, rowe! 1579 Louth in Narr. Reform. (Camden) 29 At one pulle all the golden godes came downe with heyho Rombelo. 1600 W. Watson Decacordon (1602) 95 Haue at him..with heaue and hoe rumbelow. |
| 1790 Gentl. Mag. LX. ii. 1100, I have recollected the first verse of the song used on that day [i.e. Flora Day at Helston, Cornwall]... Hel-an-tow, Rum-be-low. |
† 2. A blow, a stroke.
Obs. Cf. rumble n. 3.
| c 1400 Laud Troy Bk. 14005 He ȝaff him suche a romelowe, That he went ouer his sadil-bowe. |
† 3. Used as a place-name.
Obs.| 1530 Hickscorner (E.E.D.S.) 137, I have ben in Gene and in Cowe, Also in the londe of Rumbelowe, Thre myle out of hell. 1549 Compl. Scot. vi. 65 Sal i go vitht ȝou to rumbelo fayr. |
† 4. attrib. Rumbling, resounding.
Obs.| 1582 Stanyhurst æneis i. (Arb.) 24 Through Sicil his raging wyld frets and rumbolo rustling On peeres you sayled. Ibid. iv. 101 Thee whilst in the skye seat great bouncing rumbelo thundring Ratleth. |
† 5. A woman of light behaviour.
Obs.| 1611 J. Davies (Heref.) Commend. Poems 67 Wks. (Grosart) II. 13 Then yee descend, where he sits in a Gondolow With Egs throwne at him by a wanton Room-be-low. 16.. Roxb. Ball. II. 257 In wine we call for bawdy jiggs, Catzoes, rumbillows, whirligigs. |
6. A kind of carriage.
| 1881 Blackmore Christowell (1891) 183 Let the other flys, and rumbelows, come down first. |