Obs. or arch. exc. dial. Also 6 brabbel, brabil, -el, 6–8 brable. [Derivation obscure: usually identified with Du. brabbelen to confuse, stammer, jabber (cf. BRABBLING vbl. sb. 2), but it is doubtful whether the history of the senses in Eng. supports this. Cf. BRAWL, BABBLE.
Skinner conjectured a corruption of med.L. parabolare, to harangue, discourse (? a forensic or university term), cf. Welsh parablu to speak. Du Cange has ‘tota die parabolare per scripturas,’ which agrees with sense 1. With ‘womanish brabble’ cf. the proverb ‘ubi mulieres ibi parabolæ.’
1. intr. To dispute captiously or obstinately; to cavil or quibble. Const. with, against a person; about, on, at, for a thing.
c. 1500. Pope helpe, 96, in Hazl., E. P. P., III. 256. They wolde not haue you playe To dryue the tyme awaye; But brabble on the Byble.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. Mark x. 24. They did not crie, and brable agaynst him.
1579. J. Field, Calvin’s Serm., Ded. And then they brable with us about the translation.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, II. V. v. § 9. 609. He thought it no fit season to brabble at the Law.
1621. Bp. Mountagu, Diatribæ, 538. What have we brabbled, and contended for all this while?
2. To quarrel about trifles; esp. to quarrel noisily, brawl, squabble. Cf. BRABBLE sb. 3.
c. 1530. H. Rhodes, Bk. Nurture, in Babees Bk. (1868), 92. Brable not thou with thy neyghbour.
1590. Greene, Never too late (Wks. 1882), VIII. 136. Though Mars and Venus brabled, they were friends after brawls.
1653. Holcroft, Procopius, III. 78. While they were thus brabling for the spoiles.
1675. Cotton, Poet. Wks. (1765), 220. If I reach one of you a Douse, You’ll learn more Manners than to brabble.
3. = BABBLE v.
1570. Levins, Manip., 126. To Brabil, multum loqui.
1875. Lanc. Gloss. (E. D. S.), Brabble, to chatter noisily.
