▪ I. ebbing, vbl. n.
(ˈɛbɪŋ)
[f. ebb v. + -ing1.]
1. The action of flowing back or retiring: of the sea or a tidal river; also, of springs.
| c 1000 ælfric Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 154 Sinus, sæ æbbung. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xix. cxxvii. (1495) 929 Ebbynge and flowyng of the see comyth and gooth. c 1430 Life St. Katherine (Gibbs MS.) 52 The ebbyng and þe flowyng of þe see. 1695 Woodward Nat. Hist. Earth iii. i. (1723) 173 The Ebbing and Flowing..of certain Springs. 1870 Bowen Logic xii. 377 Sea-weed..left there by the ebbing of the tide. |
b. transf. and fig.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 177 For swich ebbinge. 1647 J. Berkenhead in Beaum. & Fl. Wks. Pref. Verses, Brave Shakespeare flow'd, yet had his Ebbings too. 1660 Boyle New. Exp. Phys.-Mech. xviii. 136 There may be strange Ebbings and Flowings..in the Atmosphere. 1715 Burnet Own Time (1766) II. 141 Popular heats, which have their ebbings and flowings. 1863 J. Brown Horæ Subs. (ed. 3) 109 Slow ebbing of life. |
2. Comb., as ebbing-lock, -weir, a lock or weir for detaining fish at the ebb-tide.
| 1472 Act 12 Edw. IV, vii, Ascuns..tielx..milledammez estankez de molyns lokkez hebbyngwerez, etc. 1531–2 Act 23 Hen. VIII, v. §2 Myldammes lokkes hebbynge weres heckes and fludgates. 1539 Will of Samson, Eryth (Somerset Ho.) My Tyde bote..my Hebbing locke. 1622 Callis Stat. Sewers (1647) 211 Locks and Hebbing-weres. 1715 Kersey, Hebbing-wears, nets or devices laid for fish at ebbing water. 1721–90 in Bailey. |
▪ II. ebbing, ppl. a.
[f. ebb v. + -ing2.]
That ebbs.
| 1530 Hist. Jacob & 12 Sonnes (Collier) 19 Layed him on the fome..But..it was ebbing water. 1820 Shelley Prometh. Unb. iii. ii. 28 Borne down the rapid sunset's ebbing sea. 1837 Marryat Dog-Fiend xii, They watch'd the ebbing tide. 1845 Darwin Voy. Nat. xx. (1873) 458 These ebbing wells. |
b. transf. and fig.
| 1597 Daniel Civ. Wars vii. 10 For all this ebbing chance, remains The spring that feeds that hope. 1607 T. Walkington Opt. Glass 53 Since after wine the ebbing'st wit doth flow. 1610 Shakes. Temp. ii. i. 226 Ebbing men..do so neere the bottome run. 1750 tr. Leonardus' Mirr. Stones 90 Crisoprasius is a stone..of an ebbing and confused colour. 1786 Burns Ded. to G. Hamilton xii, When ebbing life nae mair shall flow. 1807 Crabbe Par. Reg. i. 295 My ebbing purse, no more the foe shall fill. 1840 G. S. Faber Regen. 263 Mr. Newton's ebbing and flowing religious impressions. 1866 G. Macdonald Ann. Q. Neighb. xxi. (1878) 388 These tide-marks indicated ebbing strength. |