1623. Massinger, Duke of Milan, iii. 2. Who forced the gentleman,
to save her credit, To marry her, and say he was the party Found in
Lob’s pound.
Lobster, subs. (old).—A soldier. [See quots.]. Also boiled lobster in
contradistinction to raw lobster (q.v.) which formerly = a sailor.
Unboiled-lobster (q.v.) also = a policeman. For synonyms see
Mudcrusher.
c. 1642. Somers, Tracts (1811), v. 289. The nickname of lobsters
now misapplied to soldiers seems to have been first applied to Sir
A. Hazilrigg’s regiment of cavalry, completely armed with
corslets—the first body of cavalry on that side which would be
brought to stand the shock of the king’s horse.
1662. Rump Songs, ii. 70. Sir William on Run-away-downs had a bout,
Which him and his lobsters did totally rout, And his Lady the
conqueror could not help him out.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. A red coat, a soldier.
1748. F. Dyche, Dictionary (5th ed.). Lobster (S.) ... also a mock
name for a foot-soldier.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Lobster, a nickname for a soldier,
from the colour of his clothes.... ‘I will not make a lobster
kettle of my ——’: a reply frequently made by nymphs of the Point at
Portsmouth, when requested by a soldier to grant him a favour.
1803. T. Brown, Works, i. 73. The women exclaim against lobsters.
1819. Moore, Tom Crib, 5. Lobsters will be such a drug upon hand.
1829. Buckstone, Billy Taylor, i. 1. I ... am no more a dull
drab-coated watchman ... Mary ... Thou unboiled lobster, hence!
1839. Thackeray, Fatal Boots (April). I don’t think in the course
of my whole military experience I ever fought anything, except an
old woman, who had the impudence to hallo out, ‘Heads up, lobster!’
1845. Buckstone, Green Bushes, i. 1. Geo. You must lead the
soldiers to the very door ... Mur. And where am I to meet the
lobsters?
1848. Punch, xiv. 256. He (a soldier) avoids a lobster-shop, for
fear of vulgar companions.