1. Word finder
  2. Word definitions
  3. miller's thumb

Find the word definition

What is "miller's thumb"

The Collaborative International Dictionary
miller's thumb

Bullhead \Bull"head`\, n.

  1. (Zo["o]l.)

    1. A fresh-water fish of many species, of the genus Uranidea, esp. Uranidea gobio of Europe, and Uranidea Richardsoni of the United States; -- called also miller's thumb.

    2. In America, several species of Amiurus; -- called also catfish, horned pout, and bullpout.

    3. A marine fish of the genus Cottus; the sculpin.

  2. (Zo["o]l.)

    1. The black-bellied plover ( Squatarola helvetica); -- called also beetlehead.

    2. The golden plover.

  3. A stupid fellow; a lubber. [Colloq.]
    --Jonson.

  4. (Zo["o]l.) A small black water insect.
    --E. Phillips.

    Bullhead whiting (Zo["o]l.), the kingfish of Florida ( Menticirrus alburnus).

miller's thumb

Cob \Cob\, n. [Cf. AS. cop, copp, head, top, D. kop, G. kopf, kuppe, LL. cuppa cup (cf. E. brainpan), and also W. cob tuft, spider, cop, copa, top, summit, cobio to thump. Cf. Cop top, Cup, n.]

  1. The top or head of anything. [Obs.]
    --W. Gifford.

  2. A leader or chief; a conspicuous person, esp. a rich covetous person. [Obs.]

    All cobbing country chuffs, which make their bellies and their bags their god, are called rich cobs.
    --Nash.

  3. The axis on which the kernels of maize or indian corn grow. [U. S.]

  4. (Zo["o]l.) A spider; perhaps from its shape; it being round like a head.

  5. (Zo["o]l.) A young herring.
    --B. Jonson.

  6. (Zo["o]l.) A fish; -- also called miller's thumb.

  7. A short-legged and stout horse, esp. one used for the saddle. [Eng.]

  8. (Zo["o]l.) A sea mew or gull; esp., the black-backed gull ( Larus marinus). [Written also cobb.]

  9. A lump or piece of anything, usually of a somewhat large size, as of coal, or stone.

  10. A cobnut; as, Kentish cobs. See Cobnut. [Eng.]

  11. Clay mixed with straw. [Prov. Eng.]

    The poor cottager contenteth himself with cob for his walls, and thatch for his covering.
    --R. Carew.

  12. A punishment consisting of blows inflictod on tho buttocas with a strap or a flat piece of wood.
    --Wright.

  13. A Spanish coin formerly current in Ireland, worth abiut 4s. 6d. [Obs.]
    --Wright.

    Cob coal, coal in rounded lumps from the size of an egg to that of a football; -- called also cobbles.
    --Grose.

    Cob loaf, a crusty, uneven loaf, rounded at top.
    --Wright.

    Cob money, a kind of rudely coined gold and silver money of Spanish South America in the eighteenth century. The coins were of the weight of the piece of eight, or one of its aliquot parts.