Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
noun
A baby.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: bab, babber, babby, babe, babe in arms, baby, bairn, bantling, bub, bundle of joy, chit, crotch dropping, crotchfruit, fleshloaf, infant, nursling, papoose, poop factory, poop machine, suckling, shit factory
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A friend.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: babber, billy, bredrin, bruv, bud, buddo, buddy, butty, chaver, china, chuck, chum, cock, cocker, cobber, compadre, comrade, companion, cove, crony, dawg, dude, duck, fam, fettler, friend, geez, geezer, gink, good old boy, homeskillet, homie, kith, lover, marrow, mate, matey, mucker, old bean, pal, pardner, peeps, punk, shag, sport, surry, tovarish, wantok
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A fisherman using babs (“baits consisting of bundles of live worms”) to catch eels.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: East-Anglia
Topics: fishing, hobbies, lifestyle
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Probably a modification of baby: compare babby (“baby”) (Britain, dialectal).
From bab (“to fish for eels using a bab (bundle of live worms)”) + -er (agent noun suffix); the further etymology of bab is uncertain.
