What is "gab"

Gab \Gab\, n. [OE. gabbe gabble, mocking, fr. Icel. gabb mocking, mockery, or OF. gab, gabe; perh. akin to E. gape, or gob. Cf. Gab, v. i., Gibber.] The mouth; hence, idle prate; chatter; unmeaning talk; loquaciousness. [Colloq.]

Gift of gab, facility of expression. [Colloq.]

Gab \Gab\, v. i. [OE. gabben to jest, lie, mock, deceive, fr. Icel. gabba to mock, or OF. gaber. See 2d Gab, and cf. Gabble.]

1. To deceive; to lie. [Obs.]
   --Chaucer.

2. To talk idly; to prate; to chatter.
   --Holinshed.

Gab \Gab\ (g[a^]b), n. [Cf. Gaff.] (Steam Engine) The hook on the end of an eccentric rod opposite the strap. See. Illust. of Eccentric.

"talk much," 1786, probably via Scottish and northern England dialect from earlier sense "speak foolishly; talk indiscreetly" (late 14c.), from gabben "to scoff, jeer; mock (someone), ridicule; reproach (oneself)," also "to lie to" (late 13c.), from a Scandinavian source, such as Old Norse gabba "to mock, make fun of," and probably in part from Old French gaber "to mock, jest; brag, boast," which, too, is from Scandinavian. Ultimately perhaps imitative (compare gabble, which might have shaded the sense of this word). Gabber was Middle English for "liar, deceiver; mocker." Related: Gabbed; gabbing.

"action of talking," earlier "chatter, loquacity, idle talk" (mid-13c.), also "falsehood, deceit," originally "a gibe, a taunt" (c.1200), mid-13c., probably from a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse gabb "mocking, mockery," and in part from Old French gap, gab "joke, jest; bragging talk," which also is probably from Scandinavian (compare gab (v.)). Probably also there is influence from Scottish and northern English gab "the mouth" (see gob); OED reports the word "Not in dignified use." Gift of (the) gab "talent for speaking" is from 1680s.

n. 1 idle chatter 2 The mouth or gob. 3 One of the open-forked ends of rods controlling reversing in early steam engines. vb. 1 (context intransitive obsolete English) To jest; to tell lies in jest; exaggerate; lie. 2 (context intransitive English) To talk or chatter a lot, usually on trivial subjects. 3 (context transitive obsolete English) To speak or tell falsely.

n. light informal conversation for social occasions [syn: chitchat, small talk, gabfest, gossip, tittle-tattle, chin-wag, chin-wagging, causerie]

The cuneiform sign gáb, (also qáb), is an uncommon-use sign of the Amarna letters, and other cuneiform texts. It is possibly an equivalent sign for the later version of DAGAL (extensive Sumerogram), , with an, , replacing the earlier version, the "star" (as Dingir), contained within the cuneiform sign. This later version of DAGAL is somewhat similar to gáb, (a 'rectangular-box form'). The meaning of "DAGAL", Akkadian language for "extensive" – compares to the Amarna letters use of gáb as Akkadian language "gabbu", English language for "all", or "all (of us)"

For Rainey's version of EA letters 359-379 (only 10 actual letters) gáb is only used to spell Akkadian "gabbu", and 2 words using qáb, mostly for Akkadian "qabû", English "to speak", and in EA 259 (the " King of Battle, Tablet I"), for "battle", Akkadian "qablu".

Cuneiform gáb/qáb is mosly used as a syllabic for the three characters of the sign. It is within a small group of signs that are composed of 1- or 2-vertical strokes (at right or left), the other signs being no. 535 Ib (cuneiform), no. 536 ku (cuneiform) (only 1-vertical, left and right), no. 537 lu (cuneiform), and no 575, ur (cuneiform).

A gab or gap (, "boast") is a troubadour boasting song. It is often considered related to the tenso and partimen, two types of debate poem. Sometimes the gab is not considered a separate genre of poetry but simply a boast found within another genre, commonly the sirventes.

The Occitan word gab means "boast" and comes from the verb gabar (to open the mouth wide, i.e. gape). The song is innately competitive and the boast is often presented as a challenge, which may generate poetical responses. The boasting, however, is made in good fun and typically follows a formula ensuring it will be well-received (unlike a real boast). Often it is heavily ironic, and the boasts are intended specifically to entertain the audience that knows better.

The first gab was "Ben vuelh", composed by William IX of Aquitaine (died 1126). The sirventes "De mots ricos no tem Peire Vidal" by Uc de Lescura begins with a gab proclaiming the composer's superiority to eight of his contemporary troubadours, including the man of the title, Peire Vidal, who was himself a famous composer of gabs. One of his works opens: