shable, shabble Sc.
(ˈʃæb(ə)l)
Also 7 shabel, schable.
[ad. It. sciabla, sciabola, or Hungarian száblya, Polish szabla, parallel forms to Du. sabel, G. sabel (now säbel): see sable n.3, sabre.]
1. A sabre or curved sword.
‘Now generally used to denote an old rusty sword’ (Jam.).
| 1632 Lithgow Trav. v. 208 Shables, or short crooked swords. 1683 Sir J. Turner Pallas Arm. 171 The Persians, Turks, Russians, Polonians, and Hungarians, for most part wear Scimiters and Shables. 1689 Lond. Gaz. No. 414/2 One of them had his left Arm cut off with one blow of a Schable or Polish sword. 1749 Crookshank Hist. Ch. Scot. II. 22 At last, the Commander struck him with a shabble on the face. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xxviii, He tugged for a second or two at the hilt of his shabble, as he called it. 1895 Crockett Men of Mosshags 75 He would strike them on the face with the basket hilt of his shable. |
2. ‘Any little person or thing’ (Jam.).
| 1842 Carlyle Let. 19 Apr. in Froude Life Lond. (1884) I. ix. 251 Fly away with your shabble of a Duke. |