subbien.
/ˈsʌbi/, U.S. /ˈsəbi/, Australian English /ˈsʌbi/, New Zealand English /ˈsʌbi/ slang (originally and chiefly Australian and New Zealand).
A subcontractor.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > worker > employer > [noun] > contractor > sub-contractor
subcontractor?1798
subbie1973
1973 Bulletin (Sydney) 19 May 60/3 The ‘subbies’ come when they please. Productivity is going down the drain.
1978 Sun-Herald (Sydney) 4 June 21/1 For the independent ‘subbie’ a couple of extra tonnes over the legal limit is often the only thing separating a profitable run from a straight-out loss.
1985 J. Schultz Steel City Blues 108 I'm building a house... I've done it all myself—well, I've got in a few subbies.
1991 Examiner (Auckland) 28 Feb. 2 They paid the contractor $270,000 but, unbeknown to them, he ‘forgot’ to pay at least one of his subbies.
2004 P. Hymers New Home Builder v. 78 As a self-contractor you won't have a reliable list of subbies to turn to and you will have to spend time finding suitable people well in advance.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2012; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
subbiev.
/ˈsʌbi/, U.S. /ˈsəbi/, Australian English /ˈsʌbi/, New Zealand English /ˈsʌbi/ slang (originally and chiefly Australian and New Zealand).
transitive. To subcontract (a person or thing). Also intransitive: to work as a subcontractor (for someone).
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > working > [verb (intransitive)] > attend regularly for hire or custom
ply1626
subbie1983
society > occupation and work > working > [verb (transitive)] > set (person) to work > send work off premises
to put out1653
farm1666
contract1897
subcontract1898
subbie1983
1983 Truckin' Life Mag. Sept. 35/2 Bunkers have 16 trucks subbied to TNT.
1983 J. Kelman In Betting Shop in Glasgow Mag. Spring 16 Tommy, christ, you must mind him—used to work in the building game... Aw aye, aye, I mind him. Subbied.
1984 Truckin' Life Mag. Apr. 25/1 They then asked her to subby for them at about half the rate she tendered at. Smart girl told the middlemen bloodsuckers to take a running jump.
2011 Big Rigs (Nexis) 1 Apr. 9 John subbies for AEG and has been there for the past two years.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2012; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1973v.1983- free-acting
- free-and-easiness
- free-and-easy club
- free-associate
- free-associational
- free-associative
- free-bestowed
- free-blowing
- free-blown
- free-boot
- free-bootery
- free-booty
- free-born
- free-bound
- free-bred
- free-burning
- for lack of
- for last
- for lief or loath
- for life
- for life or death
- for lives
- for long
- for long and long
- for long together