The Pope in sending Relicks to Princes, does as Wenches do by their Wassels at New-years-tide, they present you with a Cup, and you must drink of a slabby stuff; but the meaning is, you must give them Moneys, ten times more than it is worth.

1581, John Studley (translator), Hercules Oetaeus, Act I, in Seneca his Tenne Tragedies, Translated into Englysh, London: Thomas Marsh,
To Virgo, Leo turnes the time, and in a reaking sweate.
He buskling vp his burning Mane, doth dry the dropping south.
And swallowes vp the slabby cloudes in fyry foming mouth.

[…] I am only to caution our labourer as to the present work, that he do not stir the ground in over-wet and slabby weather […]

Then he set up another shop an’ hired some of us ’round here to go an’ make them big, slabby art-chairs.

He was big and pink and slabby with muscle, but not very hairy, for a white man.

The papers were full yesterday morning, you see, of the iPad. […] a million fidget-fingered twits were salivating for the chance to show off their slabby electro-tablets […]

The employer shall supply the sawyer and tailer-out at breast bench, workers operating goose-saws, and slabbies with suitable leather aprons for use while so employed. When requested by the worker a suitable apron shall be supplied to timber stackers, lorry drivers, and machinists.

'My husband worked in a sawmill,' said Gran. […] 'And his brother. Slabbies, both of them. What sort of work was that for men with brains?'

Slabby

Meaning

Adj

Noun

Origin

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