Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to hit on the head.

1811		Hereford Jrnl 2 Oct. 3/3: Cribb had again nobbed him [...] got his head under his left arm and fibbed until Black fell.
1818		N.-Y. Eve. Post 17 Aug. 2/1: We do not understand the technical phrases he makes use of, such as nobbing each other in fine style — a good set-to — a clean hit — a facer — a floorer and unable to come-to in time, &c, &c. He had better make his complaint to the police office, whose business it is to attend to such affairs.
1820		Jack Randall’s Diary 48: They’ve got [...] To beg that you’ll relieve their pain, By nobbing in the ring again.
1832		Egan Bk of Sports 300: Neal missed several of his right-handed blows [...] although he nobbed Sam repeatedly.
1842		Whip (N.Y.) 9 July 2/4: McCoy nobbed his opponent, and he went down bleeding.
1927		(con. 1835–40) P. Herring Bold Bendigo 197: Bendy concentrated on his opponent’s face and head, ‘nobbing’ him as he had never done a man before.

2. (also do a nob, knob) to collect money; to make a collection after a sporting contest, a performance etc; thus nobber, one who makes such a collection.

1844		New Sprees of London 18: Kean nobbed on to the slavey William for a couple of bob, paleried for more lush, and hooked it to some other ken.
1861		(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor III 135/2: We also ‘nob,’ or gather the money.
1875		T. Frost Circus Life and Circus Celebrities 278: Going round the assemblage with a hat, to collect the largesses of the on-lookers, is ‘doing a nob,’ and to do this at the windows of a street, sometimes done by one performer standing on the shoulders of another, is ‘nobbing the glazes’.
1878		Darling Downs Gaz. (Toowoomba, Qld) 16 Mar. 2/4: It was agreed between us that I should be the performer, whilst he should do the ‘nobbing’ - i.e., to go round with a hat.
1893		P.H. Emerson Signor Lippo 12: Then one of them went ‘nobbing’ or collecting.
1906		O.C. Malvery Soul Market 39: ‘You can do the nobbing,’ he continued, and then put a small box into my hand. [...] ‘Slip round, my girl, and ‘nob’ ’em, and mind yer bring it all to light, and no weeding, no poling, mind yer.’.
1937		J. Worby Other Half 162: You do the singing and I’ll do the knobbing.
2019		P. Baker Fabulosa 295/2: nobber [...] 2. someone who collects money for a street performer.

3. (also knob) of a man, to have sexual intercourse.

1986		B. Geldof Is That It? 67: He expected his assistants to do all the work, while he went off, nobbed the models and then took credit for the pictures.
1993		K. Lette Foetal Attraction (1994) 57: Christ. She’s nob-able.
2000		Indep. Rev. 28 Mar. 1: He asked [...] whether Diana was ‘nobbing that Pakistani’.
2007		R. Milward Apples (2023) 127: He’s knobbing Liz.