1712. Spectator, No. 389. Having no language among them but a
confused gabble, which is neither well understood by themselves or
others.
1811. Poole, Hamlet Travestied, I., 3. Then hold your gab, and hear
what I’ve to tell.
1863. C. Reade, Hard Cash, ch. xxxiv. ‘Hush your gab,’ said Mr.
Green, roughly.
1887. Punch, 10 Sept., p. 111. Gladstone’s gab about ‘masses and
classes’ is all tommy rot.
Verb. (vulgar: O. E., and now preserved in Gabble).—To talk fluently;
to talk brilliantly; to lie.
1383. Chaucer, Canterbury Tales 1652. I gabbe nought, so have I
joye or blis.
1402. [? T. Occleve], Letter of Cupid, in Arber’s Garner, vol. IV.,
p. 59. A foul vice it is, of tongue to be light, For whoso mochil
clappeth, gabbeth oft.
1601. Shakspeare, Twelfth Night, Act II., Sc. iii. Mal. ... Have
you no wit, manners, nor honesty, but to gabble like tinkers at
this time of night.
1663. Butler, Hudibras, pt. I., ch. i., p. 5. Which made some think
when he did gabble Th’ had heard three Labourers of Babel.
1786. Burns, Earnest Cry and Prayer, st. 10. But could I like
Montgomeries fight, Or gab like Boswell.
1880. G. R. Sims, Zeph, ch. vii. An elderly clergyman ... gabbled
the funeral service as though he were calling back an invoice at a
draper’s entering desk.
1887. Punch, 10 Sept., p. 111. Gals do like a chap as can gab.
Gift of the Gab (or Gob), subs. phr. (colloquial).—The gift of
conversation; the talent for speech. Fr., n’avoir pas sa langue dans sa
poche.
d. 1653. Z. Boyd, Book of Job, quoted in Brewer’s Phrase and Fable,
s.v., ‘gab. There was a good man named Job, Who lived in the land
of Uz, He had a good gift of the gob.’
1690. B. E., New Dict. of the Canting Crew. Gift of the gob, a
wide, open Mouth; also a good Songster, or Singing-master.
1785. Grose, Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.
1820. Shelley, Œdipus Tyrannus, Act I. You, Purganax, who have the
gift o’ the gab, Make them a solemn speech.
1837. Dickens, Oliver Twist, ch. xliii. And we’ll have a big-wig,
Charley: one that’s got the greatest gift of the gab: to carry on
his defence.
1851–61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, I., 250. People reckon
me one of the best patterers in the trade. I’m reckoned to have the
gift—that is, the gift of the gab.
1869. Whyte-Melville, M. or N., p. 29. I’ve got the gift of the
gab, I know, and I stick at nothing.
1870. Lond. Figaro, 18 Sept. ‘Of all gifts possessed by man,’ said
George Stephenson, the engineer, to Sir William Follett, ‘there is
none like the gift of the gab.’
1876. Hindley, Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack, p. 193. Others,
although they have the gift of the gab when they are on the ground,
as soon as they mount the cart are dumbfounded.
To blow the gab, verb. phr. (vulgar).—To inform; to peach (q.v.). Also
to blow the gaff (q.v.).
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1834. Ainsworth, Rookwood, bk. III., ch. 5. Never blow the gab or
squeak.
To flash the gab, verb. phr. (common).—To show off (q.v.) in talk; cf.,
Air one’s vocabulary.
1819. Moore, Tom Crib’s Memorial, p. 2. While his Lordship ... that
very great dab At the flowers of rhet’ric is flashing his gab.
Gabble, subs. (colloquial).—1. A gossip. Also Gabbler, Gabble-grinder,
Gabble-merchant, and Gabble-monger.