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Blubber
Definitions
- 1 Especially of lips: protruding, swollen. archaic, not-comparable
"Henry Blomfield Grocer in Bungay in Suffolk, about 30 years of age, of a middle ſtature, round viſag'd, of a ruddy complexion, having full blubber lips very remarkable, ſhort brovvn hair curling at the ends, on a ſad gray horſe 14 hands high, did on VVedneſday evening the 20 of this inſtant June, leave his Family, and run avvay vvith a Sum of Mony in tvvo black leather Bags. VVhoſoever ſhall diſcover the ſaid Henry Blomfeild,^([sic]) ſo as to be apprehended, and ſhall give notice to Mr. John Uffing at the Green Dragon in Biſhopſgate-ſtreet, ſhall have five pounds revvard."
- 1 A fatty layer of adipose tissue found immediately beneath the epidermis of whales and other cetaceans (infraorder Cetacea). countable, uncountable
"Though their [the hyena whale or pilot whale's] blubber is very thin, some of these whales will yield you upwards of thirty gallons of oil."
- 2 One who blubs (“cries or weeps freely and noisily”); a blubberer.
"[T]hree of the boys, of whom Mr. Hector was sometimes one, used to come in the morning as his humble attendants, and carry him [Johnson] to school. […] The purfly, sand-blind lubber and blubber, with his open mouth, and face of bruised honeycomb; yet already dominant, imperial, irresistible!"
- 3 excess bodily weight wordnet
- 4 A fatty layer of adipose tissue found immediately beneath the epidermis of whales and other cetaceans (infraorder Cetacea).; A fatty layer of adipose tissue found in other animals which keeps them warm, especially Arctic animals such as sea lions and Antarctic animals such as penguins. uncountable
"There were hundred of slaughtered seals, and it was evident that, as far as the eye could reach, the work of death had been complete. Still something had occurred to prevent the hunters from securing their rich booty, for huge piles of skins, with their adhering blubber, were scattered over the ice, and near one was planted firmly in the floe a boat-hook, with a small flag at the top."
- 5 an insulating layer of fat under the skin of whales and other large marine mammals; used as a source of oil wordnet
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- 6 A fatty layer of adipose tissue found immediately beneath the epidermis of whales and other cetaceans (infraorder Cetacea).; A person's fat tissue, usually when regarded as excessive and unsightly. derogatory, informal, offensive, uncountable
"Are you numbered among the employed yet? I read the unemployment figures and I shudder. You do not have any stored-up blubber to live on."
- 7 A fatty layer of adipose tissue found immediately beneath the epidermis of whales and other cetaceans (infraorder Cetacea).; A jellyfish (subphylum Medusozoa). archaic, broadly, countable
"You know, Jacob, that the North Seas are full of these animals—you cannot imagine the quantity of them; the sailors call them blubbers, because they are composed of a sort of transparent jelly, but the real name I am told is Medusæ, that is, the learned name."
- 8 An act of crying or weeping freely and noisily. countable, derogatory
"Fassmann gives dolorous clippings from the Leyden Gazette, all in a blubber of tears, according to the then fashion, but full of impertinent curiosity withal."
- 9 A bubble. countable, obsolete
- 1 Often followed by out: to cry out (words) while sobbing. transitive
"Here Bliſil ſighed bitterly; upon vvhich VVeſtern, vvhoſe Eyes vvere full of Tears at the praiſe of Sophia, blubbered out, 'Don't be Chicken-hearted, for ſhat ha her, d—n me, ſhat ha her, if ſhe vvas tvventy Times as good.'"
- 2 cry or whine with snuffling wordnet
- 3 To wet (one's eyes or face) by crying; to beweep; also, to cause (one's face) to disfigure or swell through crying. also, archaic, figuratively, transitive
"Her ſvvollen eyes vvere much diſfigured, / And her faire face vvith teares vvas fovvly blubbered."
- 4 utter while crying wordnet
- 5 Often followed by forth: to let (one's tears) flow freely. obsolete, transitive
"Looke on this tree, vvhich blubbereth Amber gum / vvhich ſeemes to ſpeak to thee, though it be dumb, / VVhich being ſenceles blocks, as thou do'ſt ſee, / VVeepe at my vvoes, that thou might'ſt pitty mee: […]"
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- 6 To cry or weep freely and noisily; to sob. derogatory, intransitive
"What weepe? fye for ſhame, and blubber? for manhods ſake, / Neuer lette your foe ſo muche pleaſure of you take."
- 7 To bubble or bubble up; also, to make a bubbling sound like water boiling. intransitive, obsolete
Etymology
The verb is derived from Late Middle English bloberen, bluberen (“to bubble, seethe”); and the noun from Late Middle English blober, bluber (“bubble; bubbling water; foaming waves; fish or whale oil; entrails, intestines; (medicine) pustule”), both probably onomatopoeic, representing the movement or sound of a bubbling liquid, or the movement of lips forming bubbles (compare bleb and blob, thought to be similarly imitative). As both the verb and noun are attested in the 14th century, it is difficult to tell which one developed first; the Oxford English Dictionary suggests that the noun may be derived from the verb. Verb etymology 1 sense 1.2 (“to cause (one’s face) to disfigure or swell through crying”) is influenced by blubber (adjective).
The verb is derived from Late Middle English bloberen, bluberen (“to bubble, seethe”); and the noun from Late Middle English blober, bluber (“bubble; bubbling water; foaming waves; fish or whale oil; entrails, intestines; (medicine) pustule”), both probably onomatopoeic, representing the movement or sound of a bubbling liquid, or the movement of lips forming bubbles (compare bleb and blob, thought to be similarly imitative). As both the verb and noun are attested in the 14th century, it is difficult to tell which one developed first; the Oxford English Dictionary suggests that the noun may be derived from the verb. Verb etymology 1 sense 1.2 (“to cause (one’s face) to disfigure or swell through crying”) is influenced by blubber (adjective).
From blub + -er (suffix forming agent nouns).
A variant of blabber and blobber, probably influenced by blub and blubber (noun).
See also for "blubber"
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