Gibble-Gabble, subs, (colloquial).—Nonsense; gibberish (q.v.). [A reduplication of gabble (q.v.).]
1600. Dekker, Shoemaker's Holiday, in wks. (1873) i., 21. Hee's some uplandish workeman, hire him good master, That I may learne some gibble gabble, 'twill make us worke the faster.
1659. Torriano, Vocabolario, s.v.
1748. T. Dyche, Dictionary (5th ed.). Gibble-gabble (s), silly, foolish, idle talk.
Gib-cat, subs. (old),—A tom-cat.
[An abbreviation of Gilbert = O.
Fr.: Tibert, the cat in the fable of
Reynard the Fox.]
1360. Chaucer, Romaunt of the Rose, 6204 (Thibert le Cas is rendered by gibbe, our cat).
1598. Shakspeare, 1 Henry IV., Act i., Sc. 2. I am as melancholy as a gib-cat.
1614. Jonson, Bartholomew Fair, i., 1. Before I endure such another day with him, I'll be drawn with a good gib-cat through the great pond at home.
1663. Rump Songs. 'Rump Carbonadoed,' ii., 71. As if they had less wit and grace than gib-cats.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
Gibe, verb. (American).—To go
well with; to be acceptable. See
Gee.
Gibel, verb. (thieves').—To bring.
1837. Disraeli, Venetia, bk. i., ch. xiv. Gibel the chive, bring the knife.
Gib-face, subs. (colloquial).—A
heavy jowl; an ugly-mug (q.v.).
Cf., to hang one's gib.
Giblets, subs. (common).—1. The
intestines generally; the manifold
(q.v.). Cf. trouble-giblets.
1864. Browning, Dramatis Personæ 'Flight of the Duchess.' Is pumped up briskly through the main ventricle, And floats me genially round the giblets.
2. (colloquial).—A fat man; forty-guts (q.v.). Also Duke of Giblets.
To join giblets, verb, phr. (venery)—To copulate. Also to have or do a bit of giblet-pie. For synonyms, see Ride. Hence to cohabit as husband and wife; to live tally. Cf., plaster of warm guts.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1887. Notes and Queries, 7 S., iv., 511. 'To join giblets.'—This expression may occasionally be heard in this district, among the lowest and vulgarest, and has a very offensive meaning.
To fret one's giblets, verb. phr.—See Fret.
Gibraltar, subs. (American).—A
party stronghold: e.g., the Gibraltar
of Democracy.—Norton.
Gibson (or Sir John Gibson),
subs. (old coachbuilders').—A rest
to support the body of a building
coach.
Gibus, subs. (colloquial).—1. An
opera, or crush hat. Fr., un
accordéon. [From the name of
the inventor.]
1867. Jas. Greenwood, Unsent. Journeys, iii., 21. West-End aristocrats, with spotless jean coats and Gibus hats.
1871. Figaro, 2 Sept. Much fun may be made by wearing a Gibus, and collapsing it at the moment of contact with the funnel.
1885. Punch, 4 Apr., p. 160. Giving his comic, shiny, curly-brimmed hat to the swell who couldn't by any possible chance have mistaken it for his own Gibus.
1887. Atkin, House Scraps, p. 144. Their Gibus hats are cock'd awry.
