knobber

From knob +‎ -er; the deer sense derives from the fact that a young buck's antlers begin diminutively as mere knobs; the fool sense derives indirectly from a reference to the penis; the two senses are ultimately cognate.

• Rhymes: -ɒbə(ɹ)

knobber (plural knobbers)

2. (hunting, animal husbandry) A hart in its second year; a young male deer.

   Synonym: knobbler

   Hypernyms: buck; hart; stag (sometimes coordinate)

   Near-synonyms: brocket, pricket, spitter

   • 1906, Country life‎, volume 20, page 619:

     As soon as the knobber started galloping, all the other stags, who. till now, had taken but a languid interest, if any, in his movements, jumped on to their feet.

   • 1925, John Buchan, John Macnab, page 100:

     But even she was forced to confess that nothing was astir in the mossy wilderness. She climbed to the top of Craig Dhu and had a long spy, but, except for more hinds and one small knobber, living thing there was none.

   • 1968, Lea MacNally, Highland year:

     While I watched the young hind approached the knobber and, after standing by him for a moment, began to lick him

   • 1978 November 16, New Scientist, volume 80, number 1129, page 540:

     A mature stag chases a young male (a knobber) from the harem

4. (UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, slang, derogatory) A stupid, obnoxious, or otherwise contemptible person.

   Synonyms: knob, knobhead, knob-gobbler, knob polisher; see also Thesaurus:jerk

   • 2015, Ben Davis, The Private Blog of Joe Cowley: Return of the Geek, page 29:

     Harry chuckled. 'What is it, old son? Are you worried Natalie will go for a rummage in your undercarriage and come away empty-handed?'
     Ad spat Tango across the table, missing me by inches.
     'No, you knobber,' I said. “I'm meeting her parents for the first time tomorrow.'