bilbo
1 Americannoun
plural
bilboesnoun
plural
bilboesnoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of bilbo1
First recorded in 1550–60; earlier bilbow < ?
Origin of bilbo2
1585–95; short for Bilboa blade sword made in Bilboa (variant of Bilbao )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Shakspeare humorously describes Falstaff in the buck-basket, like a good bilbo, coiled hilt to point.
From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir
Out with your bilbo and maintain your words.'
From Micah Clarke His Statement as made to his three grandchildren Joseph, Gervas and Reuben During the Hard Winter of 1734 by Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir
I wear a bilbo by my side, as you can see.
From Micah Clarke His Statement as made to his three grandchildren Joseph, Gervas and Reuben During the Hard Winter of 1734 by Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir
The French marine still use a kind of leg-iron of the bilbo type.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 3 "Fenton, Edward" to "Finistere" by Various
A Spanish bilbo, to lock the English by the legs.
From City Scenes or a peep into London by Darton, William
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
