Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 5–7 eb, 6–7 ebbe, 6– ebb. [app. evolved from the attrib. use of the sb., as in ebb-tide.]
1. Of water, wells, etc.: Shallow, not deep. With of: Having a small supply, short. Also fig.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., IX. iii. 47. Swlway was at þare passyng all Eb.
1523. Fitzherb., Surv., xi. 57. The ebber the water is, the swyfter it is.
c. 1581. J. Falkner, in Eng. Mech. (1870), 4 Feb., 500/2. The water of Trent [was] dried up, and sodenly fallen so ebb.
1637. Rutherford, Lett., xciv. I. 243. O, how ebb a soul have I to take in Christ’s love!
1665–6. Phil. Trans., I. 165. When the water is drawn ebb from Fishes.
1693. Leighton, Comm. 1 Peter v. 8. This Apostle … drew from too full a spring to be ebb of matter.
1747. Scheme Equip. Men of War, 23. Their Tide of Learning, as well as Virtue, whilst under the Influence of Neptune, is always Ebb.
b. transf. of a furrow; the sides of a vessel, etc.
1523. Fitzherb., Husb., § 33. A meane forowe, not to depe nor to ebbe.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, II. 185/1. A well Shaped Grey-Hound … [is] Ebb, or Shallow chested,… [when he hath] his breast & body all of a thickness. Ibid., III. 320/1. It is a cooling Vessel … with ebb sides.
1733. P. Lindsay, Interest Scot., 149. Plowed with an ebb Furrow so often as the Appearance of Weeds makes it necessary.
1879. Miss Jackson, Shropsh. Word-bk., s.v., ‘Will this dish do to make the fitchock pie in?’ ‘No, it’s too ebb.
2. Near the surface; a. of the sea, b. of the land; also as quasi-adv.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 40. A great multitude of fishes floted ebbe about it. Ibid., II. 29. Cumin … hath a qualitie to grow with root very eb.
1605. Bp. Hall, Medit. & Vowes, II. § 13. 138. Whether I bee drowned in the ebber shore, or in the midst of the deepe Sea.
1679. Plot, Staffordsh. (1686), 119. Sometimes it [marl] lyes so ebb (as they call it) that they plow up the head of it.
1747. Hooson, Miner’s Dict., M iv b. If Ore be once discovered, and it lie Ebb and Soft.
1794. Bailiff’s Diary, in Shropsh. Word-bk., I am convinced that it is too ebb plow’d.
