[f. EBB v. + -ING1.]
1. The action of flowing back or retiring: of the sea or a tidal river; also, of springs.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 154. Sinus, sæ æbbung.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIX. cxxvii. (1495), 929. Ebbynge and flowyng of the see comyth and gooth.
c. 1430. Life St. Katherine (Gibbs MS.), 52. The ebbyng and þe flowyng of þe see.
1695. Woodward, Nat. Hist. Earth, III. i. (1723), 173. The Ebbing and Flowing, and some other uncommon Phænomena of certain Springs.
1870. Bowen, Logic, xii. 377. Sea-weed … left there by the ebbing of the tide.
b. transf. and fig.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 177. For swich ebbinge.
1647. J. Berkenhead, in Beaum. & Fl. Wks., Pref. Verses. Brave Shakespeare flow’d, yet had his Ebbings too.
1660. Boyle, New Exp. Phys.-Mech., xviii. 136. There may be strange Ebbings and Flowings … in the Atmosphere.
a. 1715. Burnet, Own Times (1766), II. 141. Popular heats, which have their ebbings and flowings.
1863. J. Brown, Horæ Subs. (ed. 3), 109. Slow ebbing of life.
2. Comb., as ebbing-lock, -weir, a lock or weir for detaining fish at the ebb-tide.
1472. Act 12 Edw. IV., vii. Ascuns … tielx … milledammez estankez de molyns lokkez hebbyngwerez [etc.].
1531–2. Act 23 Hen. VIII., v. § 2. Myldammes lokkes hebbynge weres heckes and fludgates.
1539. Will of Samson, Eryth (Somerset Ho.). My Tyde bote … my Hebbing locke.
1622. Callis, Stat. Sewers (1647), 211. Locks and Hebbingweres.
1715. Kersey, Hebbing-wears, nets or devices laid for fish at ebbing water.
1721–90. in Bailey.
