abee
Scots edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
Perhaps a combination of let be and let alone, to give let a-be.[1]
Pronunciation edit
Verb edit
abee
- leave undisturbed, let alone, let be.
Adverb edit
abee
- not to mention, much more, far less.
References edit
- ^ Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief, William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors (2002), “abee”, in The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 5th edition, Oxford, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 3.
- “abee, v.” in the Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries.
Swahili edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
Borrowed from Arabic لَبَّيْكَ (labbayka).
Pronunciation edit
Audio (Kenya) (file)
Interjection edit
abee!
Usage notes edit
This word is only used by women.
References edit
- Eastman, Carol M. (1983) “Exclamations in Standard Swahili as Cultural Communication”, in Journal of African Languages and Linguistics[1], volume 5, number 2, , page 162 of 157-180:
- When someone wants you to do something for him or her you may indicate willingness by saying labeka! or abee! Abee! is more general and has the sense of 'at your service'. Labeka! is the response used when a superior calls on you. It is a response often associated with women only - particularly as a polite response made by a woman who hears her name called.
- Almasi, Oswald, Fallon, Michael David, Nazish, Pardhan Wared (2014) Swahili Grammar for Introductory and Intermediate Levels, Lanham • New York • Oxford: University Press of America, →ISBN, page 371: “Bee! – Response used by females when someone is calling them.”