Dictionary

lib en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /ˈlɪb/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Abbreviation for various words beginning in lib-.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) liberal
   • own the libs
2. (countable, uncountable) liberation
   • women's lib
3. (countable, uncountable) library
4. (countable, uncountable) libertarian

Forms

Deriveds

shitlib · libspeak · libtoid · LIBlet · ziolib · libber · lib out

lib en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /ˈlɪb/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English libbe, from Old English lybb, lyb (“medicine, drug, potion, poison, charm”), from Proto-West Germanic *lubi, from Proto-Germanic *lubją (“wort, herb, drug, poison”), from Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ-, *lewb- (“to peel, break, damage”), from Proto-Indo-European *lew- (“to cut, remove, prune, separate”). Cognate with German Luppe, Lüppe (“salve, ointment, plant juice, medicine, magic”), Icelandic lyf (“medicine, drug”).

Meanings

1. (Scotland, UK, dialectal) A potion; magic potion; charm; concoction.

Forms

lib en · VERB · etymology 3

Pronunciation

• /ˈlɪb/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English *libben (suggested by libbyng (“gelding”), lybbere (“gelder”)), related to Dutch lubben (“to castrate, emasculate”), Dutch libbe (“a steer”), lubbert (“a eunuch”). Further relation uncertain. Possibly related to Old English *lybban (“to doctor”), from Proto-West Germanic *lubbjan; or perhaps related to Old English lappa, læppa (“lappet, piece, section, lobe, portion, district”). More at lop.

Meanings

1. (Northern-England, Scotland, UK, dialectal, transitive) To geld; castrate; emasculate (usually said of animals).

Forms

Relateds

libbet · libbert · glib