gab
English
Etymology
From Middle English gabben, from Old English gabban (“to scoff, mock, delude, jest”) and Old Norse gabba (“to mock, make sport of”); both from Proto-Germanic *gabbanan (“to mock, jest”), from Proto-Indo-European *ghabh- (“to be split, be forked, gape”). Cognate with Scots gab (“to mock, prate”), North Frisian gabben (“to jest, sport”), Middle Dutch gabben (“to mock”), Middle Low German gabben (“to jest, have fun”).
Pronunciation
Noun
gab (plural gabs)
Usage notes
Gab in the sense "mouth as gob" was used to specifically describe the open-forked ends of rods controlling reversing early steam engines.
Synonyms
- See also Wikisaurus:talkative
Translations
Derived terms
Verb
gab (third-person singular simple present gabs, present participle gabbing, simple past and past participle gabbed)
- (intransitive, obsolete) To jest; to tell lies in jest; exaggerate; lie.
- (intransitive) To talk or chatter a lot, usually on trivial subjects.
- (transitive, obsolete) To speak or tell falsely.
Translations
Anagrams
Danish
Etymology
From Old Norse gap, verbal noun to gapa (“to gape”).
Noun
gab n (singular definite gabet, plural indefinite gab)
Inflection
| neuter gender | Singular | Plural | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| indefinite | definite | indefinite | definite | |
| nominative, dative and accusative | gab | gabet | gab | gabene |
| genitive | gabs | gabets | gabs | gabenes |