bobbinn.1
/ˈbɒbɪn/, U.S. /ˈbɑbɪn/ 1. An article round which thread or yarn is wound, in order to be wound off again with facility, and as required, in weaving, sewing, etc.
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a. ‘A small pin of wood, with a notch, to wind the thread about when women weave lace’ (Johnson). (A cylinder 3 or 4 in. long, like a thickish pencil.)
b. A wooden or metal cylinder, perforated so as to revolve on a spindle, having a flange or ‘head’ at one or both ends (according to the purpose for which it is adapted), used to receive thread or yarn, and give it off by unwinding, in the processes of spinning, warping, weaving, frame-work knitting, etc.
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c. A small spool for receiving the thread, placed within the shuttle, in some sewing machines.
d. In many parts of England: An ordinary ‘reel’ or ‘spool’, on which sewing cotton, silk, etc. are wound for sale and use, having the form of a small wooden cylinder, with a broad edge or rim at both ends.
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the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile manufacture > manufacture of thread or yarn > [noun] > winding > winding on spool or bobbin > spool or bobbin
spoolc1325
pirn1440
rocket1440
quillc1450
bobbin1530
reed1530
spill1594
twill1664
ratchet1728
pirnie1776
runner1784
reel1785
spindle1837
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 199/1 Bobbyn for a sylke woman, bobin.
1603 P. Holland tr. Plutarch Morals 1220 Turned in maner of spindles or bobins, as folke spin or twist therewith.
a1661 T. Fuller Worthies (1662) Devon 246 Bone-lace it is named, because first made with bone (since wooden) bobbins.
1736 T. Sheridan in Swift's Lett. (1768) IV. 165 If my skin were dry, my bones would rattle like a bag of bobbins.
1760 S. Pullein in Philos. Trans. 1759 (Royal Soc.) 51 23 The old method of reeling the silk over a bobin.
1865 F. B. Palliser Hist. Lace vii. 120 The oftener the bobbins are twisted the clearer and more esteemed is the Valenciennes.
1876 J. Watts Brit. Manuf. III. 136 It draws out the cotton, twists it, and winds it upon a bobbin.
e. A reel round which wire is coiled in electrical instruments.
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the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electricity > electrical engineering > armature > [noun] > core or frame of
bobbin1866
former1891
1866 R. M. Ferguson Electricity 41 The thread..is wound round a slender movable bobbin.
1871 J. Tyndall Fragm. Sci. (ed. 6) II. xvi. 441 The bobbins, in which the currents are induced.
2. ‘A fine cord in haberdashery’ (Beck Draper's Dict.: cf. quot. 1886); ‘round tape’ (Webster).
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the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric manufactured in specific way > [noun] > of specific size > narrow > cord
bobbin1641
union cord braid1882
1641 J. Milton Animadversions 9 To rumple her laces, her frizzles, and her bobins.
1843 E. Bulwer-Lytton Last of Barons I. ii. i. 151 Tied with bobbins of gold thread.
1866 R. D. Blackmore Cradock Nowell xlvi. 305 A leathern bag..wash leather tied with bobbin.
1886 S. W. Beck Draper's Dict. (at cited word) In 1578 we find ‘Skotish bobin sylke’, and ‘bobbing’ appearing in an inventory of that date in conjunction with twine and thread.
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the world > plants > particular plants > trees and shrubs > tree or shrub groups > birch and allies > [noun] > bark, sap, or seed-pod
bitumen1551
bobbinc1562
birch bark1643
c1562 A. Scott Moneth May To bring in bowis and birkin bobbynis.
4. A rounded piece of wood attached to a string, which passes through a door, and is fastened to the latch, so as to raise it. Hence bobbin-latch.
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1820 Little Red Riding-hood ‘Pull the bobbin and the latch will go up’. Little Red Riding-hood pulled the bobbin, and the door opened.
Compounds
C1. bobbin-boy, bobbin-mill, bobbin-turner. See also bobbin-net n.
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society > occupation and work > workplace > place where specific things are made > [noun] > bobbins
bobbin-mill1857
pirn-mill1915
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile manufacture > manufacture of thread or yarn > [noun] > winding > winding on spool or bobbin > spool or bobbin > one who works with or attends to
quill boy?1711
quill winder1738
bobbin-boy1871
bobbin-turner1886
1857 E. C. Gaskell Life C. Brontë I. iv. 68 A bobbin-mill..where wooden reels were made.
1871 J. R. Lowell My Study Windows 45 Not everybody has the genius to be a Bobbin-Boy!
1886 Pall Mall Gaz. 23 Aug. 4/2 Born at Troutbeck..he served his time to the trade of bobbin-turner.
1921 Dict. Occup. Terms (1927) §399 Bobbin boy (jute)..bobbin boy (rope and twine).
C2. † bobbin-work n. Obsolete ‘work woven with bobbins’ (Johnson).
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bobbin-lace n. lace made on a pillow with bobbins.
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bobbin-stand n. a frame for holding the bobbins of a weaving- or spinning-machine.
bobbin-winder n. a contrivance for winding thread, etc. on a bobbin.
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the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric manufactured in specific way > [noun] > consisting of loops or looped stitches > lace > pillow or bobbin
bonework1556
bone lace1564
bobbin-work1681
pillow lace1815
Madras lace1882
point1882
bobbin-lace-
1681 N. Grew Musæum Regalis Societatis iv. §3. 372 Not netted nor woven with warp and woof, but after the manner of bobbinwork.
Draft additions June 2006
In plural. British regional slang (originally and chiefly Lancashire). Rubbish; something worthless or useless.
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1988 ‘F. Sidebottom’ The Robins aren't Bobbins (transcribed from song) in 5:9:88 The only team for me is Altrincham F.C.; Oh the Robins aren't bobbins, says me.
1991 ‘F. Sidebottom’ in Independent 14 Feb. 15/4 I'm going to get rid of Little Frank. Everybody says he's bobbins. Don't quote me on that. Just say, ‘an insider revealed that Little Frank is bobbins’.
1996 Minx Nov. 81/1 Burnley, Lancashire... Not so good: Bobbins.
2001 M. Blake 24 Karat Schmooze v. 52 Pete dragged himself away from eyeing up the talent. ‘Taken to the capital then, have you?’ ‘It's bobbins.’ ‘Mary Poppins? What are you on about?’ ‘I mean it's shite.’
2004 Touch Apr. 91/1 Has the American media shunned..her..because they knew her comeback single was bobbins?
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1887; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
bobbinn.2
dialect.
A small bundle or faggot of firewood.
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1887 N.E.D. at Bobbin Kent. dial. Buying wood, making it up into bobbins, and then selling it for fire-lighting.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1887; most recently modified version published online September 2021).
bobbinn.3
/ˈbɒbɪn/, U.S. /ˈbɑbɪn/ Applied attributively to the payment made to a fish porter at Billingsgate market.
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society > trade and finance > fees and taxes > payment for labour or service > [noun] > payment for other specific work
wensevesc1250
spade-silver1606
watch money1628
wonting pennya1642
box money1707
hook-penny1794
bobbin1936
1936 J. L. Hodson Our Two Englands xii. 239 The carrying prices, or bobbin rates, are all fixed in the trade.
1953 Times 3 Jan. 3/2 They heard of ‘bobbin charges’, paid by the customer to the porter for carrying the fish from the merchant.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1972; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
bobbinv.
To wind on bobbins.
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1883 Glasgow Weekly Herald 5 May 8/5 Rope yarn bobbining machine wanted, 4, 6 or 8 spindles.
Derivatives
ˈbobbining n.
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the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile manufacture > manufacture of thread or yarn > [noun] > winding > winding on spool or bobbin
spooling-machinec1564
quillinga1641
bobbining1883
1883Bobbining [see main sense].
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1887; most recently modified version published online June 2019).
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n.21887n.31936v.1883