lobscouse Naut. and dial.
(ˈlɒbskaʊs)
Also 8–9 lobscourse, 9 lobskous, -scouce, lap's course.
[Of obscure origin: cf. loblolly. (scouse is now used in the same sense.)]
A sailor's dish consisting of meat stewed with vegetables and ship's biscuit, or the like.
| 1706 [E. Ward] Wooden World Diss. (1708) 83 He has sent the Fellow.. to the Devil, that first invented Lobscouse. 1751 Smollett Per. Pic. (1779) I. ix. 76 A mess of that savoury composition known by the name of lob's course. 1823 J. F. Cooper Pioneers v. (1869) 22/1 He acquired the art of making lobskous. 1835 Marryat Jac. Faithf. xi, Prepares to revel upon Lobscouse. 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Lap's Course, one of the oldest and most savoury of the regular forecastle dishes. 1894 F. F. Moore Journalist's Note Bk. 146 Something like a glorified Irish stew, or perhaps what yachtsmen call ‘lobscouce’. |
Hence lobscouser (ˈlɒbskaʊsə(r)), a sailor, tar.
| 1888 Clark Russell Marooned (1890) 18 Plain ginger⁓haired British lobscousers. |