gubbins
See also: Gubbins
English edit
Etymology edit
Ante 1553. From gobbon (“piece, portion, slice”), from Old French gobon, gobet (“piece”). Cognate with English gobony (“line of alternating squares”).
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
gubbins pl (plural only)
- (obsolete) Fragments; parings; scraps (especially of fish).
- 1599, [Thomas] Nashe, Nashes Lenten Stuffe, […], London: […] [Thomas Judson and Valentine Simmes] for N[icholas] L[ing] and C[uthbert] B[urby] […], →OCLC, page 73:
- [H]ough you hungerſtarued gubbins or offales of men, how thriue you, howe periſh you, [...]
- (British, informal) Assorted stuff, especially if of little value; tat.
- Synonyms: see Thesaurus:thingy, Thesaurus:trifle
- 2017 summer, Milla Jovovich, “My Movie Masterming: Resident Evil Special”, in Empire, number 337, page 135:
- I had to memorise so much dialogue that never makes it into the movie so I always have a plethora of extra gubbins I can't remember.
Noun edit
gubbins (plural gubbins)
- (UK, informal) Silly person; fool. [from 20th c.]
- 1916, Edward Frederic Benson, David Blaize[1], page 146:
- "Silly gubbins," she said. "You told me twice, and I was interested even the second time. […] "
Synonyms edit
- (silly person): See Thesaurus:fool