he and Narcissa paddled and splashed with tucked-up garments and muddy bottoms, after the crudest of whittled boats, or made loblollies by treading and treading in one spot with the intense oblivion of alchemists.

Whil'st he, not dreaming of thy folly,
Lies gaping like a great Lob-lolly

1694, François Rabelais, (trans. Thomas Urquhart and Peter Antony Motteux), The Fourth Book.
This also is to be as silly as that jolt-headed loblolly of a carter, who, having laid his waggon fast in a slough, down on his marrow-bones was calling on the strong-backed deity, Hercules, might and main, to help him at a dead lift, but all the while forgot to goad on his oxen and lay his shoulder to the wheels, as it behoved him; as if a Lord have mercy upon us alone would have got his cart out of the mire.

1777, Charles Shadwell, "The fair quaker of deal", in Bell's British Theatre, pages 21 to 22, OCLC 2986037.
If he would force the surgeon to cure us at the government's charge, it would be a mighty encouragement to us; but our rogue of a loblolly doctor, being not satisfied with his two-pences, must have a note for two months pay for every cure …

A yellow-eyed collie
Was guarding his coat-
Loose-limbed and lob-lolly,
But wise and remote.

… there's this great, lob-lolly, hectoring Tom Button fast i' the pillory …

There was a wave of slackness, and young men preferred to remain lob-lolly lesser Hindus than to follow their fathers' stern creed.

1946, George Bagshawe Harrison, A Jocobean Journal, page 176, OCLC 14246203.
This lob-lolly would for ever be making love to ladies, to the no small gain of the pages, whou would feign to bring him commendations and tokens from the ladies in return for angels.

When he heard a rumour circulating amongst the Irish lob-lolly gangs of track layers, he caught a ride on the Pennsylvania and Eastern …

1898, William Black, Wild Eelin, page 174, OCLC 2066856.
You'd rather lob-lolly about these refreshment-rooms, and stuff yourselves until you can't stir.

Loblolly

Meaning

Noun

Verb

Related