Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1711, 1795-1822, 1898-1911
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LUBBA, n. Also lob(b)a. The leaves of the heath-rush and other small rushes and sedges, any coarse boggy vegetation of the kind (I.Sc. 1866 Edm. Gl.; Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.; Ork. 1929 Marw., loba; Sh. 1961). [Sh. ′lubə, Ork. ′lo:bə, ′lʌbə]Sh. 1711 R. Sibbald Descr. Zet. 12:
The Mountains afford a Grass good for Cattel, the Inhabitants call Lubba.Sh. 1795 J. Sinclair Agric. N. Counties App. 27:
The sheep that pasture upon what passes under the name of black-berry heather, lobba and mossy pasture, almost always bear the finest wool.Sh. 1822 S. Hibbert Descr. Shet. 435:
Lubba comprises those common productions of the hills which are found where heath is absent; thus it consists of several kinds of Carices, of Nardus stricta, Eriophoron or cottongrass, etc.Sh. 1898 “Junda” Klingrahool 25:
Da horses croppin da lubba.Ork. 1911 Old-Lore Misc. IV. iv. 185:
Tha bonny lang daes o' tha voar-time whin da mussacruppan rises amang da lobba.
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"Lubba n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 19 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/lubba>
