Etymology: Either (i) < Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French gab, gap, French gab mockery, jesting (c1100), boasting, deceit, concealment, nonsense, absurdity, merriment (all second half of the 12th cent.), in Anglo-Norman also frivolous talk (early 13th cent. or earlier), or (ii) < its early Scandinavian etymon (compare Old Icelandic gabb mocking, mockery, Old Swedish gab mockery (Swedish †gabb ); < the same Germanic base as Old Icelandic gabba to mock (see gab v.¹)), or (iii) perhaps < an unattested Old English cognate of Old Icelandic gabb.Compare also Old French, Middle French gabe mockery, jesting (c1190). Compare Old Occitan gab jest, threat, noise, commotion, praise, flattery, boasting (late 11th cent.), Catalan †gab mockery, Spanish gabo mockery, insult (13th cent.), Portuguese gabo derision (13th cent.), Italian gabbo mockery, jesting (a1294); all < French. In without gab at sense 1b and equivalent phrases (constituting most attestations of sense 1b) after Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French sanz gap, sanz gas (13th cent.). With sense 2 compare a similar archaic use of the corresponding word in modern French (compare gab v.¹ 4).

Etymology: Variant of gob n.² Compare later gab n.³, which is often associated with this word.

Etymology: < gab v.²; often associated with gab n.² Compare earlier gob n.³ Compare also earlier gabby adj.

Etymology: Origin unknown. Perhaps compare early modern Dutch gabbe notch, gash (1599).

Etymology: Either (i) < Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French gaber, gabber, French gaber to mock someone, to make fun of someone (a1100), to jest (c1100), to boast (c1139), to lie, to deceive (mid 12th cent.), or (ii) < its early Scandinavian etymon (compare Old Icelandic gabba to mock, to make fun of, Old Swedish, Swedish (now obsolete) gabba to mock, to deceive, Old Danish gabbe to mock), cognate with Old Frisian gabbia to make an accusation, to appeal for prosecution, Middle Dutch, early modern Dutch gabben to mock, to laugh at, Middle Low German gabben to jest, to fool around, further etymology uncertain (see below), or (iii) perhaps < an unattested Old English cognate of Old Icelandic gabba (perhaps compare Old English gaf- : see note). Compare gab n.¹ and also later gab v.²Compare Old Occitan gabar to jest, to mock, to threaten, to praise, to boast (12th cent.), Catalan gabar to praise, (reflexive) to boast, Spanish gabar to jest, to praise, to flatter, (reflexive) to boast (13th cent.), Portuguese gabar to praise, to flatter, (reflexive) to boast (13th cent.), Italian gabbare to mock, to deceive (a1294); all < French. Germanic verbs listed above are probably further cognate with the Old English element gaf- in gaffetung scoffing, mocking, gegafsprǣc , gafsprǣc , both in senses ‘frivolous speech, idle talk, gossip, ribaldry’ (also once uncompounded as gegaf in similar use and perhaps also once as gaf without prefix in a gloss in the sense ‘idle talk’); perhaps compare also gaff n.²). Proposals for further etymology in Germanic include a relationship with gape v. or an imitative origin. With sense 4 compare a similar archaic use of the corresponding word in modern French (compare gab n.¹ 2). In Middle English prefixed and unprefixed forms of the past participle are attested (see y- prefix).

Etymology: Probably originally the same word as gab v.¹ In later use perhaps re-formed < gab n.³ (compare also gab n.²). Compare later gob v.¹Compare senses ‘frivolous talk, nonsense, absurdity, merriment’ attested for Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French gab (see gab n.¹).

Etymology: Origin uncertain. Perhaps related to gag-tooth n., gubber-tush n., and gobber tooth n., although the precise nature of any relationship is unclear.