17th century. From Spanish bobo, from Latin balbus (“stammering”).
(bird): Compare typologically Translingual Morus, German Tölpel, Polish głuptak (akin to głupek), Russian о́луша (óluša) (akin to о́лух (ólux)).
Meanings
(obsolete, slang) Stupid; unintelligent.
When we arrived at the houſe, I was in the utmoſt confuſion; for the booby ſervants ſtood gaping and grinning at my diſtreſs, and Sir Sampſson himſelf told me, with a laugh as horrible as Caliban's, that he would lend me one of his maids to carry me out airing every morning. 1755 January 23, The Connoisseur, 3rd edition, volume 2, number 52, published 1757, page 131:
17th century. From Spanish bobo, from Latin balbus (“stammering”).
(bird): Compare typologically Translingual Morus, German Tölpel, Polish głuptak (akin to głupek), Russian о́луша (óluša) (akin to о́лух (ólux)).
Meanings
A stupid person.
Then at the last minute Harris was brought aboard as Dr. Zachary Smith, initially an authentic, lip-curling nogoodnik who, it was presently discovered, could be better used for laughs played off Mumy and a sober-sided robot (“You bubbleheaded booby,” sneers Harris. “That does not compute,” returns the robot dryly). 1966 September 24, TV Guide, Radnor, Pa., page 25, column 1:
She knotted our ribbons very tightly so that we should not lose them,—they pulled the little hairs under our curls and made us "ooch" and wriggle. Then Dede gave us little smacks and called us boobies. 1942, Emily Carr, “How Lizzie Was Shamed Right Through”, in The Book of Small, Toronto, Ont.: Oxford University Press, →OCLC:
The daughter is said to be well-bred and beautiful; the son an awkward booby, reared up and spoiled at his mother's apron-string. 1773, Oliver Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer, act I:
As for the Pyramids, there is nothing to wonder at in them so much as the fact that so many men could be found degraded enough to spend their lives constructing a tomb for some ambitious booby, whom it would have been wiser and manlier to have drowned in the Nile, and then given his body to the dogs. 1854, Henry David Thoreau, chapter I, in Walden, New York: Thomas Y. Crowell & Co, published 1910, page 74:
A Frenchman, in his own Country, would dress a fine Dinner of twenty Dishes, and all genteel and pretty, for the Expence he will put an English Lord to for dressing one Dish. But then there is the little petty Profit. [...] So much is the blind Folly of this Age, that they would rather be impos'd on by a French Booby, than give Encouragement to a good English Cook! 1747, Hannah Glasse, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, page iii:
Any of various large tropical seabirds from the genera Sula and Papasula in the family Sulidae, traditionally considered to be stupid.
At which time, ſome Boobyes, weary of flight, made our Ship their pearch, an animall ſo ſimple as ſuffers any to take her without feare, as if a ſtupid ſenſe made her careleſſe of danger... 1638, Sir Thomas Herbert, Some years travels into divers parts of Asia and Afrique:
Boobies are powerful, aerobatic fliers, and they can be challenging to photograph. 2021, Peter Cavanagh, “5. Large Waterbirds”, in 100 Flying Birds: Photographing the Mechanics of Flight, →ISBN, page 114:
We found on St. Paul's only two kinds of birds—the booby and the noddy. The former is a species of gannet, and the latter a tern. Both are of a tame and stupid disposition, and are so unaccustomed to visitors, that I could have killed any number of them with my geological hammer. 1839, Robert FitzRoy, Phillip Parker King, Charles Darwin, chapter I, in Narrative of the Surveying Voyages of His Majesty’s Ships Adventure and Beagle, between the Years 1826 and 1836, […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC:
In the game of croquet, a ball that has not passed through the first wicket.
A booby may displace another booby or a bridged ball by roquet, ricochet, or concussion. 1863, Mayne Reid, Croquet, London: C.J. Skeet, page 33:
17th century. From Spanish bobo, from Latin balbus (“stammering”).
(bird): Compare typologically Translingual Morus, German Tölpel, Polish głuptak (akin to głupek), Russian о́луша (óluša) (akin to о́лух (ólux)).
Meanings
(intransitive, rare) To behave stupidly; to act like a booby.
Who lounge and who loot, and who booby about, / No knowledge within, and no manners without; 1824, Washington Irving, “Proclamation”, in Salmagundi, volume 1:
(transitive) To install a booby trap on or at (something); to attack (someone) with a booby trap.
Self Boobied. Donald E. Campbell of Merritt Island, Fla., accidentally tripped on one of the shotgun shell booby traps he had installed 1976, “Weekly Almanac”, in Jet, volume 22, page 44:
Got my neck, got my boobies / Got my heart, got my soul / Got my back, I got my sex 1968, “Ain't Got No, I Got Life”, in 'Nuff Said!, performed by Nina Simone:
She is beyond hot: her long, black, curly hair cascades around her naked boobies! 2008, Richard Uhlig, Boy Minus Girl:
"Actually, I'm hoping the other team hasn't learned how to do that. I'm sorta going for hypno boobies." 2015 January 30, Dan Shive, El Goonish Shive - EGS:NP (webcomic), Comic for Friday, Jan 30, 2015:
At ten o’clock she was lying on the divan with her boobies in her hands. 1934, Henry Miller, Tropic of Cancer, Grove Press, published 1961:
Etymology tree
English boob
Proto-Indo-European *-kos
Proto-Germanic *-gaz
Proto-West Germanic *-g
Old English -iġ
Middle English -y
English -y
English booby
From boob + -y.
Meanings
(informal, of clothing or a person) Displaying breasts prominently.
If it's too tight, I don't want the fat coming out heeya?' She points to the danger spot, where upper arm brushes against glorious bosom, and the top of a strapless dress can cut an unsightly line. 'Am I very booby? Do I look very chesty?' 2001, Helen Garner, The Feel of Steel, Picador Australia, →ISBN, page 221:
Everyone has their paranoias. And we all chip in, swap handbags and jewellery, and offer lots of support when one or another is having doubts about their frock.
'Wow, you look amazing!'
'Aw, I think I look a bit booby.'
'I don't like my bra.' 2017 March 9, Kate Garraway, The Joy of Big Knickers: (or learning to love the rest of your life), Bonnier Publishing Ltd., →ISBN:
I put on boxer shorts and a strappy baby-doll dress that floated from my ribs comfortably. It was a bit booby. Leftover pre-period bloat, I guess. 2021 August 24, Mary-Lou Zeitoun, Jamilah at the End of the World, James Lorimer & Company, →ISBN, page 66:
We did a photoshoot the week before and she took the dress from the shoot and said: "I want to wear this for the awards next week. Her publicist was like, "Don't you think it's a bit 'booby' for a kids event?" But she wore it anyway!' 2011 March 31, Jo Berry, Katy Perry: California Gurl, Hachette UK, →ISBN:
(informal) Having large breasts.
Can I borrow your pink lacey bra?
Why? You're like three sizes boobier than me? 2021 June 10, Lucy Vine, Bad Choices: The most hilarious book about female friendship you’ll read this year!, Hachette UK, →ISBN: