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bilbo

1 American  
[bil-boh] / ˈbɪl boʊ /

noun

plural

bilboes

  1. a long iron bar or bolt with sliding shackles and a lock, formerly attached to the ankles of prisoners.

bilbo 2 American  
[bil-boh] / ˈbɪl boʊ /

noun

Archaic.

plural

bilboes

  1. a finely tempered sword.

Bilbo 3 American  
[bil-boh] / ˈbɪl boʊ /

noun

  1. Theodore Gilmore 1877–1947, U.S. Southern populist politician: senator 1935–47.

bilbo British  
/ ˈbɪlbəʊ /

noun

  1. (formerly) a sword with a marked temper and elasticity

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of bilbo1

First recorded in 1550–60; earlier bilbow < ?

Origin of bilbo2

1585–95; short for Bilboa blade sword made in Bilboa (variant of Bilbao )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Shakspeare humorously describes Falstaff in the buck-basket, like a good bilbo, coiled hilt to point.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir

We shall come to bilbo and buff before long.

From Rob of the Bowl, Vol. I (of 2) A Legend of St. Inigoe's by Kennedy, John P.

That is true enough," said Bothwell, as he slowly rose; "put up your bilbo, Tom.

From Old Mortality, Volume 1. by Scott, Walter, Sir

A Spanish bilbo, to lock the English by the legs.

From City Scenes or a peep into London by Darton, William

The French marine still use a kind of leg-iron of the bilbo type.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 3 "Fenton, Edward" to "Finistere" by Various

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.