that in familiar writings and conversation they often lose all but their first syllables, as in mob., red., pos., incog., and the like.
1719. Durfey, Pills to Purge, v. 308. Damsel with squire, and mob in the Mire.
1740. North, Examen, p. 574. I may note that the rabble first changed their title, and were called the mob, in the assemblies of this club (the Green Ribbon club 1680-82), first mobile vulgus, then contracted in one syllable.
1755. Johnson, Eng. Dict. [1815], s.v. Mobility. . . . In cant language, the populace.
1780. Lee, Chapter of Accidents, ii. 1. Brid. I don't love to go much among the mobility, neither.
1785. Grose, Vulgar Tongue, s.v.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
1822. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel, ix. The court-yard for the mobility, and the apartments for the nobility.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.
1878. Green, Short Hist. Eng. People, ch. x. § 1. p. 729. When mobs were roaring themselves hoarse for 'Wilkes and liberty.'
2. (common).—See quots. and School; Cf. Swell-mob.
1851-61. H. Mayhew, London Lab., i. p. 234. Some classes of patterers, I may here observe, work in schools or mobs of two, three, or four.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Mobs. A number of thieves working together.
3. (Australian).—A number of horses, or cattle; part of a flock of sheep: a flock is the total number of fleeces tended by one shepherd; any portion of it being a mob.
1885. Mrs. Campbell Praed, The Head Station, p. 2. I wonder whether there will be a mob of fat cattle ready for the butcher next month.
4. (common).—A strumpet (also Mab).
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
Verb, (old: now recognised).—To crowd; to hustle; to annoy. Hence mobbing.
1741. H. Walpole, Letters, No. 9, 12 Nov. The city-shops are full of favours, the streets of marrowbones and cleavers, and the night will be full of mobbing, bonfires, and lights.
1754. Martin, Eng. Dict., 2nd ed. s.v.
1759. Townley, High Life below Stairs, i. 2. Ay, let us begone; for the common people do so stare at us—we shall certainly be mobbed.
1884. Burroughs, Birds and Poets, p. 41. They swarm about him like flies, and literally mob him back into his dusky retreat.
Swell-mob. See Swell-mob.
Mobility, (or Mobocracy). See
Mob, subs., sense 1.
Mobsman, subs. (thieves').—A pick-*pocket:
i.e., a member of the
swell-mob (q.v.).
1851-61. H. Mayhew, Lon. Lab., iv. 25. Mobsmen, or those who plunder by manual dexterity.
Mockered, adj. (common).—Full
of holes: e.g., a ragged handkerchief,
or a blotched or pitted face.
Mocteroof, verb. (Covent Garden).—To
doctor or fake (q.v.) damaged
produce: e.g., pines are
washed with a solution of gum;
chesnuts shaken in a bag with
bees-wax, etc.
Model (The), subs. (old).—See
quot.
1856. H. Mayhew, Gt. World of London, p. 113. This is Pentonville Prison, vulgarly known as the model.
Modern Babylon, subs. (common).—London.
Modern Athens =
Edinburgh.
