Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a general term of affectionate address.

1866		Wild Boys of London I 127/2: There’s a Turkey bloater, for yer! there’s a jolly Hemperor of all the big uns!
1879		‘’Arry on ’igh Art’ in Punch 1 Feb. 42/1: ‘Wot of that, festive bloater?’ sez you.
1884		‘’Arry at a Political Pic-Nic’ in Punch 11 Oct. 180/1: But, bless yer, my bloater, it ain’t all chin music.
1891		‘’Arry on Wheels’ in Punch 7 May 217/2: And then came the barney, my bloater.

2. a military officer .

1855

Huddersfield Chron. 10 Mar. 3/1: The common soldier is the red-herring, and the officer is the bloater.

3. a womanizer.

1857

Paul Pry (London 15 Aug. n.p.: THE ROTHERHITHE BLOATER. Ladies and gentlemen, take a walk to the St. Helena Gardens, Rotherhithe, and see a rare specimen of a Bloater, waltzing round the gardens with the girls every Monday evening. Whoever is desirous of seeing this specimen alive [...] they may see him in the fish- shop [...] winking at tbe girls as they pass by.

4. a self-opinionated person.

1878

‘’Arry on Politics’ in Punch 11 May 205/2: I used to detest a big bloater, but now I am nuts on a Nob.

5. a fat person.

1909		J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era.
1961		‘Frank Richards’ Billy Bunter at Butlins 119: You blithering bloater.
1985		Eble Campus Sl. Apr. 1: bloater – fat person.
2012		(con. 1980s) I. Welsh Skagboys 440: Keezbo, wi his bloater issues [...] and aye, me wi the spazzy brother.
2018		I. Welsh Dead Man’s Trousers [37]: The bloater’s intervention has upped the horn stakes and we shit-talk each other into a joint shrieker of an orgasm.