▪ I. gibber, n.1
(ˈdʒɪbə(r), ˈgɪbə(r))
[f. gibber v.1]
Rapid and inarticulate utterance.
| 1832 J. P. Kennedy Swallow B. iii. (1860) 38 The gibber of ducks and chickens and turkeys. 1835 Browning Paracelsus ii. 43 The blank space 'twixt an idiot's gibber And a mad lover's ditty. 1859 Kingsley Misc., Plays & Purit. II. 131 He has none of the obscene gibber of the ape. |
▪ II. ‖ gibber, n.2
(ˈgɪbə(r))
[L. gibber.]
(See quots.)
| 1857 Dunglison's Med. Lex., Gibber, hump. 1866 Treas. Bot., Gibber, a pouch-like enlargement of the base of a calyx, corolla, etc. 1880 [see s.v. gibberose]. 1885 Syd. Soc. Lex., Gibber, a hump, a hunch. |
▪ III. gibber, n.3 Australian.
(ˈgɪbə(r))
Also 9 gibba, ghibber.
[aboriginal Australian.]
a. A large stone; a boulder.
| 1834 L. E. Threlkeld Austral. Gram. p. xi, Barbarisms..Gibber, a stone. 1847 [A. Harris] Settlers & Convicts ix. 159 He did not object to stow himself by the fire-side of any house he might be near, or under the ‘gibbers’ (over⁓hanging rocks) of the river. 1889 Boldrewood Robbery under Arms (1890) 39 There was a kind of gully that came in, something like the one we came in by, but rougher, and full of gibbers. 1896 B. Spencer in Rep. Horn Exped. i. 11 Our course lay across..upland plains covered with ‘gibbers’. |
b. attrib. and Comb., as gibber country, gibber-field, gibber-plain; gibber-gunyah, an aboriginal cave-dwelling.
| 1894 B. Spencer in Argus 1 Sept. 4/2 (Morris) Our track led across what is called the *gibber country. |
| 1896 ― in Rep. Horn Exped. i. 27 Even the Stony *gibber-field becomes green with herbage. |
| 1847 [A. Harris] Settlers & Convicts xi. 211, I coincided in his opinion that it would be best for us to camp for the night in one of the *ghibber⁓gunyahs. These are the hollows under overhanging rocks. 1863 R. W. Vanderkiste Lost, but not for Ever (ed. 2) 210 Our home is the gibber-gunyah. 1891 R. Etheridge Rec. Austral. Museum I. viii. 171 Notes on ‘Rock Shelters’ or ‘Gibba-gunyahs’ at Deewhy Lagoon. |
| 1933 Bulletin (Sydney) 27 Sept. 20/4 A well-found homestead..set in a howling wilderness of bare *gibber plain. 1953 Sci. News XXVII. 9 In cases where the initial rock surface is harder..stone-desert surfaces are commonly formed. These are known as hamada in Africa, gobi in Mongolia, and gibber-plains in Australia. |
▪ IV. gibber, v.1
(ˈdʒɪbə(r), ˈgɪbə(r))
Also rarely jibber.
[Onomatopœic; cf. gabber, jabber.
Probably (ˈdʒɪbə(r)) and (ˈgɪbə(r)) are originally independent words of parallel formation, not merely divergent interpretations of the written form.]
intr. To speak rapidly and inarticulately; to chatter, talk nonsense. Said also of an ape.
| 1604 Shakes. Ham. i. i. 116 (Qo. 2) The graues stood tenantlesse and the sheeted dead Did squeake and gibber in the Roman streets. 1791 Cowper Odyss. xxiv. 11 The ghosts Troop it downward, gibbering all the dreary way. 1833 H. Martineau Cinnamon & Pearls iii. 56 Monkeys..hung by one arm from the boughs overhead, gibbering and chattering. a 1845 Hood Forge ii. xix, Meanwhile the demons, filthy and foul, Are not contented to jibber and howl. 1857–8 Sears Athan. 23 Not a spectre can rise and gibber. 1871 Ruskin Fors Clav. x. (1896) I. 196 Those who work and do not gibber. 1877 V. L. Cameron Across Africa xv. (1885) 209 They chattered and gibbered at the strange sight of a boat. |
▪ V. † gibber, v.2 Obs.—1
| 1602 Life Cromwell E b, I faith ile gibber a ioynte, but ile tell him his owne. |