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lubber

American  
[luhb-er] / ˈlʌb ər /

noun

  1. a big, clumsy, stupid person; lout.

  2. an awkward or unskilled sailor; landlubber.


adjective

  1. clumsy; stupid; lubberly.

verb (used without object)

  1. to behave like a lubber, especially in the handling of a boat.

lubber British  
/ ˈlʌbə /

noun

  1. a big, awkward, or stupid person

  2. short for landlubber

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of lubber

First recorded in 1325–75, lubber is from the Middle English word lobre. See lob 1, -er 1

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.

See Examples For:

Unlike other grasshopper species which are winged and agile, the lubber can’t fly.

From Washington Times Jul. 21, 2019

But this is South Florida, home of bizarre and showy creatures, and it’s high Eastern lubber season.

From Washington Times Jul. 21, 2019

Fast-forward a few months, though, and the lubber becomes an almost invincible warrior in shining bright - and toxic - armor: the lubber’s colorful exoskeleton serves as a warning that says’I’m poisonous’ to predators.

From Washington Times Jul. 21, 2019

The compass is well lit in daylight, stabilizes quickly and is easy to read, although the range-finding lines and lubber line are quite thin, making them hard to see in poor light.

From Time Magazine Archive

“Mr. Bowditch, sir, is it true that you let Johnny look through your sextant? Or was the little lubber lying to us?”

From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham

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