the bubble
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The party cheated, perhaps from his being like an air bubble, filled with words, which are only wind, instead of real property.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “the bubble” mean?
The party cheated, perhaps from his being like an air bubble, filled with words, which are only wind, instead of real property.
Is “the bubble” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.