Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The character or actions of a booby; stupidity; foolishness.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • But to have said this would have been to drive away 90 per cent of boobyism, which is ever ready to be deluded, but insists upon gravity and long words from the operators.

    London: Saturday, September 16, 1865 1865

  • Samuel gazed upwards at the handsome long nose and rich lips of his elder cousin, so experienced, so agreeable, so renowned, so esteemed, so philosophic, and admitted to himself that he had lived to the age of forty in a state of comparative boobyism.

    The Old Wives' Tale Arnold Bennett 1899

  • In his consequential verdancy, his aristocratic boobyism, and his lack-brain originality, this pithless hereditary squireling is quite inimitable and irresistible; -- a tall though slender specimen of most effective imbecility, whose manners and character must needs all be from within, because he lacks force of nature to shape or dress himself by any model.

    Shakespeare: His Life, Art, And Characters, Volume I. With An Historical Sketch Of The Origin And Growth Of The Drama In England Henry Norman Hudson 1850

  • It is not surprising that a woman, young, beautiful and vivacious, living in a court where corruption was all around her, where an unmarried empress was rendering herself notorious by her gallantries, stung to the quick by the utter neglect of her husband, insulted by the presence of his mistresses, and disgusted by his unmitigated boobyism, should have sought solace in the friendship of others.

    The Empire of Russia 1841

  • Such are the written placards wafered up in the gentlemen's dressing-room, or the green-room (where there is any), at a private theatre; and such are the sums extracted from the shop-till, or overcharged in the office expenditure, by the donkeys who are prevailed upon to pay for permission to exhibit their lamentable ignorance and boobyism on the stage of a private theatre.

    Sketches by Boz, illustrative of everyday life and every-day people Charles Dickens 1841

  • Such are the written placards wafered up in the gentlemen’s dressing – room, or the green – room (where there is any), at a private theatre; and such are the sums extracted from the shop – till, or overcharged in the office expenditure, by the donkeys who are prevailed upon to pay for permission to exhibit their lamentable ignorance and boobyism on the stage of a private theatre.

    Sketches by Boz 2007

  • In his consequential verdancy, his aristocratic boobyism, and his lack-brain originality, this pithless hereditary squireling is quite inimitable and irresistible; ” a tall though slender specimen of most effective imbecility, whose manners and character must needs all be from within, because he lacks force of nature to shape or dress himself by any model.

    Shakespeare His Life Art And Characters Hudson, H N 1872

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