[‘ ‘Never mind!', ‘Leave it alone!'.']
Pronunciation: Brit. /nəˈbɒklɪʃ/, U.S. /nəˈbɑkˌlɪʃ/, Irish English /nɔːˈbɑklɛʃ/
Forms: 18 *naboclish*, 18 *naboklish*, 18 *naubocklish*, 18– *nabochlish*, 18– *nabocklesh*, 18– *nabocklish*, 19– *naboclesh*.
Etymology: < Irish /ná bac leis/, lit. ‘don’t meddle with him (or it)’ < /ná/, negative particle introducing commands, ‘don’t’ + bac, 2nd person singular imperative of bacaim to meddle + leis with him (or it).
Compare the following for use of the Irish phrase in an English context:
1954 B. Behan /Quare Fellow/ ii. 40 Ná bac leis.
/Irish English/. colloq.
‘Never mind!', ‘Leave it alone!'.
1825 J. Banim & M. Banim /Tales by O’Hara Family/ 1st Ser. III. 309 Naubocklish!—Naubocklish!—where is the unlucky baste?
1829 P. Egan /Boxiana/ New Ser. II. 133 Davy planted a facer, ditto and ditto, without receiving any return: the Grecian still stuck to him, as much as to say, ‘/Nabocklesh/'.
1829 P. Egan /Boxiana/ New Ser. II. 272 /Nero/, and the six buffers, and Der Freischütz, were all Na-bocklesh to it.
1833 W. Carleton /Traits & Stories Irish Peasantry/ 2nd Ser. I. 46 But, naboklish! What’ll you have?
1837 W. H. Maxwell in /Bentley’s Misc./ Mar. 256 Arrah! nabocklish! I’m a single man myself.
1841 C. J. Lever /Charles O’Malley/ I. ii. 10 Arrest him!—na bocklish—catch a weasel asleep.
1867 P. Kennedy /Banks of Boro/ xxi. 129 But, nabochlish, we will find ourselves in the wrong box, maybe.
1917 J. Morley /Recoll./ II. v. iii. 222 When I hear or read some malicious or injurious word in politics, I find real comfort in saying to myself ‘/Nabochlish/!’
1939 C. Morley /Kitty Foyle/ xxix. 285 Like Pop said sometimes, nabocklish! which is Irish for let’s not worry too much.