Also 6–7 blabb(e, (6 blobbe). [App. f. blabbe, BLAB sb.1; prob. under the influence of BLABBER v.] To talk or utter as a blab.
† 1. trans. To utter with open mouth; usually with out. Also absol. To talk much or ineptly; to chatter, babble, ‘blether.’ Obs.
1535. Coverdale, Prov. xv. 2. A foolish mouth blabbeth out nothinge but foolishnesse [1568 Bishops’, bableth; 1611 poureth out, marg. Heb. belcheth or bubbleth].
1570. Levins, Manip., 1. Blab, garrire, multiloqui.
1598. Deloney, Jacke Newb., vii. 87. He blabbed out this broken English.
2. trans. To open one’s mouth about (a thing better kept in); to tell, or reveal indiscreetly.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, II. (Arb.), 48. I do hold yt lawful … to blab theyre secrecye priuat.
1589. Pappe w. Hatchet, B iiij b. Ile blabb all, and not sticke to tell.
1591. Troub. Raigne K. John (1611), 22. Must I recount my shame, Blab my misdeeds?
1612. R. Carpenter, Soules Sent., 101. To blab or blaze a dead mans follies.
1620. Swetnam, Arraign’d (1880), 28. What will not women blab to those they love.
1741. Richardson, Pamela, I. 38. It will be said I blab every thing.
1834. Pringle, Afr. Sk., xiv. 459. One of the Boors … afterwards blabbed the real facts of the transaction.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 179. This pushing talkative divine, who was always blabbing secrets.
b. Often with out (forth, abroad).
1548. Udall, Erasm. Par. Matt. xiii. 44. He blabbeth it not abrode to others.
1580. North, Plutarch (1676), 822. He blabbed not out all the conspiracy.
1635. Camden’s Hist. Eliz., III. 269. He had blabbed forth somewhat to the prejudice of the King.
1742. R. Blair, Grave, 433. Oh! that some courteous ghost would blab it out.
1869. Dixon, Towers (1870), II. xiv. 141. He blabbed out the secret to his priest.
3. intr. To talk indiscreetly about what should be kept secret, to reveal or betray secrets.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., I. ii. 63. When my tongue blabs, then let mine eyes not see.
1733. Swift, Poetry, Wks. 1755, IV. I. 188. If you blab, you are undone.
1747. B. Hoadly, Suspic. Husb., III. ii. Mum’s the Word, I never blab.
1865. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., IV. II. i. 18. His Brother … had blabbed upon the Prince.
1870. Lowell, Among My Books, Ser. I. (1873), 202. We certainly should not have guessed it, if he had not blabbed.
4. trans. (transf.) To reveal otherwise than by talking; to betray, bewray.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., III. i. 154. Beaufords red sparkling eyes blab his hearts mallice.
1646. J. Hall, Poems, I. 14. His age is blab’d by silver haires.
1654. E. Johnson, Wonder-wrkg. Provid., 103. Least his watry eyes should blab abroad the secret conjunction of his affections.
5. Comb., as blab-mouth, -tongue.
1600. S. Nicholson, Acolastus (1876), 14. O blab-tongue Tantalus, why dost not eate?
1683. Chalkhill, Thealma & Cl., 34. Report, the blab-tongue of those tell-tale times.
1865. Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), 29 April., 2/1. Surprise has been expressed that Booth selected such a shallow-pated blab-mouth as Herold as his nearest accomplice in so terrible a plot.
