English

Noun

grubber ‎(plural grubbers)

1. One who grubs.
2. A machine or tool of the nature of a grub axe, grub hook, etc.
3. (rugby) (also grubber kick), an attacking short distance kick in behind the defence in which the ball is bounced along the ground, using the uneven bounce of the ball to make it difficult for the defence to retrieve.
   • 2011, Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France

     England had an early opportunity with a line-out deep in French territory after a clever grubber from Foden only for Lionel Nallet to burgle back possession, and they then tore into France again as Alexis Palisson was smashed backwards after taking a garryowen and Manu Tuilagi thundered into Morgan Parra.

4. (cricket) A ball that bounces unusually low such that it is difficult for the batsman to hit properly
5. (Britain, slang, dated) A sweetshop.
   • 1925, The Oxford Outlook (issues 34-43, page 158)

     He could, moreover, no longer be tempted to the Grubber, for all chocolate and sweets were taboo.

   • 1960, Rupert Croft-Cooke, The Altar in the Loft (page 210)

     I remember the grubber which smelt of potato chips and chocolate and the steam-heated library with books about monasteries that no one else seemed to look at, and I remember the fresh weedless lawns between the school buildings […]

Translations

References

• Chambers's Etymological Dictionary, 1896, p. 314