Booby

//ˈbuːbi// adj, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Stupid; unintelligent. obsolete, slang

    "When we arrived at the houſe, I was in the utmoſt confuſion; for the booby ſervants ſtood gaping and grinning at my diſtreſs, and Sir Sampſson himſelf told me, with a laugh as horrible as Caliban's, that he would lend me one of his maids to carry me out airing every morning."

  2. 2
    Displaying breasts prominently. informal

    "If it's too tight, I don't want the fat coming out heeya?' She points to the danger spot, where upper arm brushes against glorious bosom, and the top of a strapless dress can cut an unsightly line. 'Am I very booby? Do I look very chesty?'"

  3. 3
    Having large breasts. informal

    "Can I borrow your pink lacey bra? Why? You're like three sizes boobier than me?"

Noun
  1. 1
    A stupid person.

    "A Frenchman, in his own Country, would dress a fine Dinner of twenty Dishes, and all genteel and pretty, for the Expence he will put an English Lord to for dressing one Dish. But then there is the little petty Profit. [...] So much is the blind Folly of this Age, that they would rather be impos'd on by a French Booby, than give Encouragement to a good English Cook!"

  2. 2
    A breast. childish, colloquial

    "At ten o’clock she was lying on the divan with her boobies in her hands."

  3. 3
    small tropical gannet having a bright bill or bright feet or both wordnet
  4. 4
    Any of various large tropical seabirds from the genera Sula and Papasula in the family Sulidae, traditionally considered to be stupid.

    "At which time, ſome Boobyes, weary of flight, made our Ship their pearch, an animall ſo ſimple as ſuffers any to take her without feare, as if a ſtupid ſenſe made her careleſſe of danger..."

  5. 5
    an ignorant or foolish person wordnet
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  1. 6
    In the game of croquet, a ball that has not passed through the first wicket.

    "A booby may displace another booby or a bridged ball by roquet, ricochet, or concussion."

Verb
  1. 1
    To behave stupidly; to act like a booby. intransitive, rare

    "Who lounge and who loot, and who booby about, / No knowledge within, and no manners without;"

  2. 2
    To install a booby trap on or at (something); to attack (someone) with a booby trap. transitive

    "Self Boobied. Donald E. Campbell of Merritt Island, Fla., accidentally tripped on one of the shotgun shell booby traps he had installed"

Etymology

Etymology 1

17th century. From Spanish bobo, from Latin balbus (“stammering”). (bird): Compare typologically Translingual Morus, German Tölpel, Polish głuptak (akin to głupek), Russian о́луша (óluša) (akin to о́лух (ólux)).

Etymology 2

17th century. From Spanish bobo, from Latin balbus (“stammering”). (bird): Compare typologically Translingual Morus, German Tölpel, Polish głuptak (akin to głupek), Russian о́луша (óluša) (akin to о́лух (ólux)).

Etymology 3

17th century. From Spanish bobo, from Latin balbus (“stammering”). (bird): Compare typologically Translingual Morus, German Tölpel, Polish głuptak (akin to głupek), Russian о́луша (óluša) (akin to о́лух (ólux)).

Etymology 4

From the earlier form bubby.

Etymology 5

From boob + -y.

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