Ebb Definition
ĕb
ebbed, ebbing, ebbs, ebber, ebbest
noun
ebbs
The receding or outgoing tide, occurring between the time when the tide is highest and the time when the following tide is lowest.
American Heritage
The flow of water back toward the sea, as the tide falls.
Webster's New World
A weakening or lessening; decline.
The ebb of faith.
Webster's New World
The receding movement of the tide.
The boats will go out on the ebb.
Wiktionary
A low state; a state of depression.
Wiktionary
Synonyms:
verb
ebbed, ebbing, ebbs
To fall back from the flood stage.
American Heritage
To flow back; recede, as the tide.
Webster's New World
To weaken or lessen; decline.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
adjective
ebber, ebbest
Other Word Forms of Ebb
Noun
Singular:
ebb
Plural:
ebbsAdjective
Base Form:
ebb
Comparative:
ebber
Superlative:
ebbestOrigin of Ebb
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From Middle English ebbe, from Old English ebba (“ebb, tide”), from Proto-Germanic *abjô, *abjōn (compare West Frisian ebbe, Dutch eb, German Ebbe, Old Norse efja (“countercurrent”), from Proto-Germanic *ab (“off, away”), from Proto-Indo-European *apó. (compare Old English af). More at of, off.
From Wiktionary
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Middle English ebbe from Old English ebba apo- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Ebb Is Also Mentioned In
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