nĕbŭlo, ōnis, m. [nebula],
I a paltry, worthiess fellow, an idle rascal, a sorry wretch : nugator ac nebulo, Lucil. ap. Non. 19, 3; Ter. Eun. 785: nos ab isto nebulone facetius eludimur, quam putamus, Cic. Rosc. Am. 44, 128: nebulones Alcinoique juventus, Hor. Ep. 1, 2, 28: vappa ac nebulo, id. S. 1, 1, 104; cf. id. ib. 1, 2, 12: nebulo lucifugus (perh. on account of the etymology of the word), a scoundrel that shuns the light , Lucil. ap. Non. 19, 2.—In apposition with homo: vulgus nebulonum hominum, Gell. 1, 2, 7; 16, 6, 12.—
II Acc. to Acron ad Hor. S. 1, 2, 12, nebulo also signifies a man of low birth; on which account slaves were also called nebulones.