▪ I. nobbling, vbl. n.
(ˈnɒblɪŋ)
[f. nobble v. + -ing1.]
The action of the verb, in various senses.
| 1847 Illustr. Lond. News 6 Nov. 302/1 What is the play at a German watering-place compared with the..‘nobbling’ and ‘hocussing’ of a race course. 1865 Pall Mall G. 21 Aug. 11/2 Brickwood was umpire, in a London watermen's eight, and played his part well, despite various attempts at what is called nobbling. 1894 Daily Tel. 1 June 6/7 Cases of undoubted or suspected nobbling or attempts at nobbling. 1897 Daily News 25 Feb. 8/4 Filling empty sacks with small quantities of coke taken from each of the full sacks. The practice was known among coal men as ‘nobbling’. |
▪ II. ˈnobbling, a. rare—1.
[Cf. nobby a.]
Well.
| 1825 Spirit Public Jrnls. 143, ‘I hope you and your family are well’, replied Sheridan. ‘Ay, ay’, answered the elector, ‘they are pretty nobbling’. |