Middle English Dictionary Entry
gabben v.
Entry Info
| Forms | gabben v. |
| Etymology | ON; cp. OI gabba. Also cp. OF (from ON) gaber. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To lie, tell lies, practice deceit; ~ on (upon, of), tell lies about (sb. or sth.); (b) to lie to (sb.); deceive; trick (sb.); ~ of, deceive (sb.) about (sth.); (c) ?to report (sth.) untruthfully.
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1335 Þe grace of godde (Hrl 913)191 : Soþ to sigge and noȝt to gab, Þer nis no tunge þat hit mai tel.
- ?c1335 Whose þenchiþ vp (Hrl 913)p.138 : What is þe gode þat man ssal hab Vte of þis world whan he ssal go? A sori wede -whi ssal ich gab? - For he broȝt wiþ him no mo.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1071 : Þou gabbest, couioun! Mi fader was an heiȝe baroun.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)2115 : Þou gabbest on me so, Mi nem nil me nouȝt se.
- c1330 Assump.Virg.(2) (Auch)708 : Ȝe nolde nowt leue me; Nou ȝe mowen ȝoureseluen se, Þat ich ne gabbed nowt!
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1994 : To blame, sire, ar þo burnes þat so bleþeli gabbe.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Gal.1.20 : Forsoth what thingis I wryte to ȝou, loo! bifore God for I lye not, or gabbe not [L non mentior].
- c1390 Off alle floures (Vrn)52 : For on..Þat is so studefast in hire þouȝt, Þat couþe neuere gabbe ne glose.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4256 : I gabbe nat, so haue I ioye or blys.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.1937 : Gabbe noght, Bot tell if evere was thi thoght With Falssemblant.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)3.179 : But ȝif þow wolt gabbe, Þow hast hanged on myne half elleuene tymes.
- a1425(?c1384) Wycl.Church (Bod 788)347 : Þis blaspheme gabbiþ upon God, and seiþ þat al þis is Goddis werk.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.301 : Al seyde men soth as often as thei gabbe.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.5.190 : I denye that thilke thyng be good that anoyeth hym that hath it. Gabbe I of this?
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)1299 : I schal noght gab at alle but telle yow the trwthys.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)10604 : Þaire goddis will not gab.
- c1425(a1400) Wycl.Pseudo-F.(Dub 245)297 : Men þat blamen hem shulden holde treuþe & not gabbe on hem.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.329 : Vse to sey trouthe and not to gabbe.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)1132,1147 : I gabbyd on launcelot..thou were to vnkynde to gabbe so vppon any man.
- a1500 Alex.-Cassamus (Cmb Ff.1.6)36 : Ȝe shul seye trowþe & gabbe yn no wyse!
b
- c1275 LSSerm.(Clg A.9)188/36 : Þe feond heom wule habbe, Bachares and brueres, for alle men heo gabbe.
- ?a1300 Fox & W.(Dgb 86)121 : Say me soþ, ne gabbe þou me nout.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)2913 : Þou gabbest me..Ȝif þou say soþ, eft þou it proue!
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)315/290 : But I beo gabbet, þat is he.
- c1390 Þe man þt luste (Vrn)33 : And þus with lesynges him he ledes; To gabben his lord most him nedes.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.7 : Satenas that wiht lesinge Gabbid adam and his ofspringe.
- a1400 Floris (Eg 2862)75/235 : Þou gabbest me.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)311 : Ac of oo þing, J nylle þee nouȝth gabbe.
- a1450 S.Leg.Faith(2) (Bod 779)22 : Ȝhe gabbed hym nouȝt!
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)8 : Grace gabbed me of no thing..This j sigh apertlyche, if my meetinge gabbe me nouht.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)31 : Of no thing j wol gabbe yow.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)347/243 : Might I se ihesu gost and flesh gropyng shuld not gab me.
c
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1804 : We nabbeþ ygabbed neuere a worde [LinI: We no gabbuþ þe no word].
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)31 : I pray yow that ye sey the trouthe..and wite ye well yef ye gabbe enythynge, I know it wele i-nough.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)532 : He ne gabbed no worde [F il nen menti de mot].
2.
(a) To speak mockingly or derisively, scoff, jeer; (b) to mock (sb.), ridicule, treat with scorn; refl. reproach oneself; (c) to speak foolishly, talk nonsense; also, talk indiscreetly.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)52b : Þe seste is loquacite; þe fedeð þis hwelþ þe is of muche speche, ȝelpeð, demeð oþre, liheð oðerhwile, gabbeð, upbreideð, chideð, fikeleð, stureð lahtre.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)89/13 : Þe ueorðe is gledschipe of his vuel, lauhwen oþer gabben ȝif him mis-biueolle.
- a1300(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Jes-O 29)119/450 : Ne gabbe þu ne schotte, ne chid þu wyþ none sotte.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)69/6 : Hi byeþ rebel..ne noþyng nolleþ do er þan me gabbeþ of ham.
- c1425(a1400) Wycl.Conf.(Dub 245)331 : Þe fend mut nedis gabb whenne his prestis assoilen þus.
b
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)65 : We agen to gabben us seluen forþat we synegeden, alse..iob seið..Ich haue syneged and gabbe me suluen þeroffe.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)2273 : Ȝef þu..wult greten ure godes ase forð as þu ham hauest igremet & igabbet.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)303/340 : Cristen men..Mai me foule to scorn drif..so foule hastou gabbed me.
c
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3510 : I nam nat lief to gabbe; Sey what thow wolt, I shal it neuere telle To child ne wyf.
- (1402) Hoccl.Cupid (Hnt HM 744)142 : Who so mochil clappith, gabbith ofte.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.481 : Whi gabbestow, that seydest thus to me?
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.19 : Þis is a likerous pride, however we gabben to God.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1383 : A! nay! I gabbe, I am vn-resonabil.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)1075 : Nay, trewly, I gabbe now.