Gubbed Etymology
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What is the origin for the word gubbed. Just curious as where such a beautiful word came from?
+0April 28, 2016 at 10:31 pm
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Derived from ‘gub’, the Scots word for mouth, ‘gubbing’ someone originally meant halting whatever was coming out of their mouth by force.
However, over time the word’s meaning has changed to encompass anything, or anyone, that has fallen into an irretrievable state of disrepair or damage. A person is also gubbed if they have simply run out of steam, and can go no further.
In addition to describing a whole range of civilian scenarios, the word has even made it into political chatter.
Labour MP Douglas Alexander told delegates at a speech in Stirling in 2011 that the party had been “well and truly gubbed” in that year’s Holyrood election.
+0Very interesting Chris, I wonder if the English slang word for mouth ‘gob’ as in ‘shut your gob’ would have been derived from the Scots word ‘gub’ for mouth?
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Thanks Chris. That’s all pretty interesting.
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