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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

bibble en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

  • /ˈbɪbəl/
  • (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English bibben (whence bib; see there for more) + -le.

Meanings

  1. To eat and/or drink noisily.
  2. (intransitive) To tipple.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
bibbles Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
bibbled Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
bibbled Tense=Past lexicographic
bibbling Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic

Deriveds

bibbler

Relateds

bib · bibber

bibble en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

  • /ˈbɪbəl/
  • (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

A false Yiddishism, based on no actual attested Yiddish.

Meanings

  1. (colloquial) To worry.
    • "Foxes have holes,' Uncle Abner," said Daisy, " 'and the birds of the air have nests, but the son of man hath not where to lay his head.' Why should we worry when we have such a bully place as this tent?" "Ish ka bibble," said the Reverend Frank. "Well," said I, "about the time the mosquitoes begin to come out of the marsh, you'll begin to bibble." 1919, Herbert Quick, The Fairview Idea: A Story of the New Rural Life, page 39:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
bibbles Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
bibbling Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
bibbled Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
bibbled Tense=Past lexicographic

Deriveds

ish ka bibble · bibble-babble

bibble en · NOUN · etymology 3

Pronunciation

  • /ˈbɪbəl/
  • (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Compare Staffordshire dialectal bibble (pebble).

Meanings

  1. (uncommon) A bit.
    • […] punish Glori because she prefers to rinse its cotton dress at home, in the toilet bowl? This time I wrapped the doll in corduroy before I chucked it in. "No bleach, Glori. Just a bibble of soap." 1995, Jerome Charyn, The Tar Baby, Dalkey Archive Press, →ISBN, page 79:
    • She burst into his studio one afternoon as the light failed, in disarray, a tear freezing on her cheek, her lips trembling and a little bibble of moisture working back and forth in her nostril as she breathed. 1994, Nicholas Salaman, The Garden of Earthly Delights, →ISBN:
    • I found an old black jumper, but it is ancient and has bibbles of fluff all over it. As we walk from the car to the church entrance, a bus changes gear at the brow of the hill, slowing down. I glance up. It is full of younger pupils[…] 2020 July 2, Chloë Heuch, Too Dark to See, Firefly Press, →ISBN:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
bibbles Number=Plur lexicographic

bibble en · NOUN · etymology 4

Pronunciation

  • /ˈbɪbəl/
  • (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Corruption of the aboriginal name "bimbil" for certain species of Eucalyptus.

Meanings

  1. (uncommon) A species of Australian tree, the forest red gum, glossy-leaved box, or shiny-leaved box, Eucalyptus tereticornis.
    • "Bibble Box," " Broad-leaf Box," or " Peppermint Box." Useful for fencing purposes, &c. Strong and durable. Habitat, open forests and low flats. Plentiful in some localities. Flowering period varies. 1909, J. H. Maiden, A Critical Revision of the Genus Eucalyptus:
    • The timber on the estate consists of white and bibble box, apple tree, red gum, ironbark, pine, and river oak. There are about 2,695 acres of dense pine scrub, interspersed with many of the natural scrubs and trees peculiar to[…] 1910, New South Wales. Parliament. Legislative Assembly, Votes and Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly, page 280:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
bibble Number=Plur lexicographic
bibbles Number=Plur lexicographic