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nobble

[nob-uh l]
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verb (used with object), nob·bled, nob·bling. British Slang.
  1. to drug or disable (a race horse) to prevent its winning a race.
  2. to convince (a person) by fraudulent methods; misrepresent or lie to.
  3. to swindle; defraud.
  4. to seize (a person); hold for arrest.
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Origin of nobble

1840–50; back formation from nobbler, variant of hobbler (dial. phrase an 'obbler being taken as a nobbler)
Related formsnob·bler, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for nobble

Historical Examples

  • We don't mean to lose this match, nor don't mean to let you nobble us.

    Davenport Dunn, Volume 2 (of 2)

    Charles James Lever

  • I allus said any fool can be a smith but it takes a good man to nobble.

  • Nobble they thought was the foulest place which they had ever seen.

    John Caldigate

    Anthony Trollope

  • It seemed that Crinkett was very well known in Nobble indeed.

    John Caldigate

    Anthony Trollope

  • Away at Nobble the females by whom he had been surrounded had not been attractive to him.

    John Caldigate

    Anthony Trollope

British Dictionary definitions for nobble

nobble

verb (tr) British slang
  1. to disable (a racehorse), esp with drugs
  2. to win over or outwit (a person) by underhand means
  3. to suborn (a person, esp a juror) by threats, bribery, etc
  4. to steal; filch
  5. to get hold of; grab
  6. to kidnap
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Derived Formsnobbler, noun

Word Origin

C19: back formation from nobbler, from false division of an hobbler (one who hobbles horses) as a nobbler
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