1819. Vaux (J. H.), Memoirs, 1., 190. s.v. Nap the bib, to cry; as, the mollisher nap'd her bib, the woman fell a crying.
1821. Egan, Life in London, 227. Dirty Suke began now to nap her bib. Ibid., Boxiana (1824), iv., 145. Josh napped again on the other eye.
1830. Lytton, Paul Clifford, xvi., Nabbing, grabbing all for himself.
1833. Marryat, Peter Simple, 1., x. Well, cried she, they've nabbed my husband.
1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, 'The Black Mousquetaire.' Once he prevail'd . . . On the bailiff who nabb'd him, himself to 'go bail' for him.
1838. Comic Almanac, April. Don't nab the bib, my Bet, this chance must happen soon or later.
1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab., iii., 139. I give him the nap and knock him on the back.
1859. Matsell, Vocab., 'Hundred Stretches.' Some rubbed to wit had napped a winder.
1867. London Herald, 23 Mar., 221, 3. We're safe to nab him; safe as houses.
1885. Bell's Life, 3 Jan., 8, 4. Johnny led off with his left, but napped it in return from Bungaree's left on the temple, which raised a bump.
1886. Daily News, 3 Nov., 5, 6. In one corner, four boys are learning how to knap a fogle fly.
1888. Sporting Life, 1 Dec. In endeavouring to reach his opponent's ribs with the right, napped it on the dial.
1892. Milliken, 'Arry Ballads, 21. He napped me.
2. (old).—See quot.
1775. Ash, Dict., s.v. Nab (a colloquial word). To bite, to bite with repeated quick but gentle motion.
His Nabs. See Nibs.
Naball, subs. (old).—A fool: see
Buffle and Cabbage-head.
1612. Rowlands, More Knaves Yet, 'Epig.' To all London's naballs.
Nabber (or nabbler), subs.
(Scots').—A thief. Whence
nabbery = theft.—Jamieson
(1808); Matsell (1859).
Nabbing-cull, subs. (old).—A
bailiff; a constable. Also
nabman.
1780. Tomlinson, Slang Pastoral, st. x. Will no blood-hunting footpad, that hears me complain, Stop the whine of that nabbing-cull, constable Payne?
1816. Terry, Guy Mannering, ii. 3. Old Donton has sent the Nabman after him at last.
Nabby. See Nobby.
Nab-cheat, subs. (old).—1. See
Nab, subs., sense 2.
Nab-girder, subs. (Old Cant).—A
bridle: also nob-girder.—B.
E. c.1696); Bailey (1728);
Grose (1785); Matsell (1859).
Nabob, subs. (Anglo-Indian: now
colloquial).—1. See early quots.;
and (2) a rich man. Hence
Nabobbery = the class of nabobs.
1612. R. Coverte, Voyage, 37. An Earle is called a Nawbob.
1625. Purchas, Pilgrims, 1., iv., 467. The Nabob with fifty or 60 thousand people in his campe.
1665. Sir Th. Herbert, Travels (1677), 99. Nobleman, Nabob.
1764. Walpole, Lett. (1857), iv., 222. Mogul Pitt and Nabob Bute.
1772. Foote, The Nabob [Title].
1784. Burke on Fox's E. I. Bill [Works (1852), iii., 506]. He that goes out an insignificant boy in a few years returns a great nabob.
1786. H. More, Florio, 272. Before our tottering castles fall And swarming nabobs seize on all!
d.1796 Burns, Election Ballads, iii. But as to his fine nabob fortune We'll e'en let this subject alane. Ibid., 'Ded. to G. H.' 2. And there will be rich brother nabobs, Though nabobs, yet men o' the first.
