English Explanatory Dictionary

gab

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Idle chatter.
  2. The mouth or gob.
  3. One of the open-forked ends of rods controlling reversing in early steam engines.
verb
  1. To jest; to tell lies in jest; exaggerate; lie.
  2. To talk or chatter a lot, usually on trivial subjects.
  3. To speak or tell falsely.
noun
  1. Initialism of gender-atypical behavior.
name
  1. A diminutive of the male given name Gabriel.

Pronunciation

/ɡæb/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-gab.wav

Word forms

gab gabs gabbing gabbed

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English gab, gabbe, from Old Norse gabb (“jest, mockery”) (whence also Old French gab, gap (“mockery, derision, scorn”)). Cognate with Icelandic gabb (“hoax”).

Derived words

bafflegab begab gabble gabby gabfest gift of the gab wide-gab forgab gabber gabbing
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