meal-tubn.
/ˈmiːltʌb/, U.S. /ˈmilˌtəb/ A tub for storing meal; also figurative and in extended use. Cf. a cat in the meal-tub at cat n.1 Additions. Meal-tub Plot n. English History an alleged conspiracy of exclusionists in 1679, the supposed evidence for which was claimed to have been discovered concealed in a meal-tub.
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1571 in E. Roberts & K. Parker Southampton Probate Inventories, 1447–1575 (1992) II. 321 A mele tobe, vj d.
1596 Inventory 1 Oct. in Ipswich Probate Inventories 1583–1631 (1981) 49 A boulting Toube and an olde meale Toube.
1614 W. Raleigh Hist. World i. iii. viii. §11. 104 A lewd fellow was brought forth, who said, That he himselfe escaping in a meale-tubbe, had beene [etc.].
1680 T. Dangerfield Answer to Malice Defeated 8 The strict charge she gave the Maid for the securing the Papers, alias Meal-Tub Plot.
1681 R. Baxter Answer to Mr. Dodwell iv. 53 If this Hypothesis..come out of the Meal-Tub, or forge of Inventers, what shall such men be called?
a1715 Bp. G. Burnet Hist. Own Time (1724) I. 476 They found a paper that contained the scheme of this whole fiction, which because it was found in a Meal-tub came to be called the Meal-tub plot.
1853 La Crosse (Wisconsin) Democrat 7 June 2/2 Notwithstanding the Free Democrat of May 25th, undertakes to get into the meal tub.
1961 Bible (New Eng.) Matt. v. 15 When a lamp is lit, it is not put under the meal-tub, but on the lamp-stand.
1989 Jrnl. Mod. Hist. 61 767 Elizabeth Cellier, imprisoned during the Popish Plot years, did not ‘concoct’ the documents found in her Meal-Tub.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1571