|
blubber n OED seal sb1 4 ~ blubber (1773), cp NID ~ 12
'fat ... of whales and other large marine animals' for sense 1.
1 The layer of fat cut from the skin of seals and rendered
into oil; FAT1.
1784 PENNANT 165 The oil extracted from
the blubber of this Seal [the harp] is far the most valuable, being sweet, and so free
from greaves as to yield a greater quantity than any other species. 1813 CARSON 14-15 A
considerable quantity of excellent manure may be procured from the sea weed, cod's heads,
and the refuse of the seal blubber. 1832 MCGREGOR i, 224 The fat, or seal blubber is
separated from the skins, cut into pieces, and put into framework vats, through which,
and the small boughs inside, the oil oozes on being exposed to the heat of the sun. 1865
CAMPBELL 60 These dogs help the men to drag blubber on the ice in sealing times, and
fatten on dead seals. 1956 CAMERON 31 The hair is short, but the body is well insulated
by a thick layer of fat under the skin, known as the 'blubber.' 1976 CASHIN 23 Blubber
had to be landed, cod oil to be gauged, ice to be delivered and settlements of accounts
to be adjusted.
2 Decomposing cod livers from which several
grades of oil are obtained; COD BLUBBER.
[1794] 1968 THOMAS 182
When the oil is all drained from the Liver the remains fall under the denomination of
Blubber. 1832 MCGREGOR i, 232 The livers of cod are put into vats or puncheons, exposed
to the sun, the heat of which is sufficient to render them into oil, which is drained
off, and put into casks for shipping The remaining blubber is boiled to obtain the oil it
contains. 1921 CABOT 129 Technically they [cod livers] are 'blubber,' as all
grease-bearing things are. T 94-64 [There'd be] maybe a half the full of a barrel of
blubber. Blubber is the codfish liver, and when that gets about a year old that's in good
order for soap. P 229-67 Blubber is rotted cod liver and used for greasing the keel of
punts and ways when hauling up the skiffs. C 75-140 When fish was being cleaned the liver
was taken out and put in barrels to stand for the cod liver oil to come out. On the top
of this formed a scum which was called 'blubber.' I remember a couple of times seeing
some of the old fishermen putting their heads down to the barrel and drink mouthfuls of
the oil.
3 In designations of types of large wooden
container in which cod livers are stored or placed for the rendering of the oil:
blubber barrel, ~ butt, ~ cask, ~ puncheon, ~ tub.
T
169/70-652 I dipped in the bucket in the blubber barrel and I brings un on
down aboard the punt. 1979 TIZZARD 89 The first thing that came to view as you opened the
stage door [was] the blubber barrel, a barrel near full of rottening cod liver. 1976
CASHIN 65 We purchased their common cod oil and old blubber... We emptied the blubber
from the vessel's blubber butts into our own puncheons and then returned the empty butts
to the vessels. [1771] 1792 CARTWRIGHT i, 182 On arriving at the stage, I perceived that
[the white bear] had been there also, and overturned a blubber-cask. P 245-74 [We] were
kept busy getting our blubber puncheons ready for the storage of rotten fish when the
fishery began. T 96/8-641 I'd go down in the stage and I'd get the big blubber tub and a
big bucket.
4 Comb blubber bank: local place-name
for area where refuse from St John's seal-pelt operations was dumped (P 245-77).
blubber soap: soap made from the oil and rotted livers of
cod-fish.
1925 Dial Notes v, 326 ~ Soft soap,—made
from 'de hile off de livers in a barl an' de loy off de ashes.' T 141/67-652
The old women used to make blubber soap in [a little bark pot] years ago. 1972 MURRAY 205
Usually in the fall, Elliston women made their own 'blubber' soap or 'soft' soap, as it
never really hardened properly, although they cut it into bars.
Go Back
|
