gba1 [g͡bá] adv.
indicates that the action in the main vb. was performed collectively:
Iran gba rrievbare“They ate together”
.
gba [g͡bà] vb.
to tie; to bind:
ya irri gbae“Use a rope to tie it: Tie it with a rope”
.
gba3 [g͡bá] vb.
1. to be complete; to be accurate;
2. to assemble; to gather (of people):
Ẹvbo gba ye evba“People are gathered there.”
Ígho nii gbae“That amount is accurate.”
gbakhẹẹ [g͡bàxɛ̀ɛ́] vb.
to waylay; to lie in wait for.
gbaa [g͡bàá] vb.
to know somebody thoroughly, (especially his/her weaknesses or failures):
Iran hia gbaa ruẹ nẹ“They all know all your weaknesses already.”
gbaan [g͡bã̀ã́] vb.
to shift; to cause to move or fall by brushing against:
Ọ ya ukoko-obọ gbaan mwẹn emiowo fua vbe obọ“He used his elbow to knock down my meat from my hand”
.
gbadaa [gbádáá] adj.; adv.
(with ye) wide and expansive (e.g. field; lake). (also gbalaa; gbalazaa, gbodoo).
gbae [g͡báè] vb.
to be big; to be full-sized (also digba).
gbaẹngbe [g͡bã̀ɛ̃gbé] vb.
(< gbaẹn-egbe): “to shift body”: to move out of the way for something/someone; to shift one’s position; to avoid.
gbaghada [g͡bàɣàdà] adv.
describes a manner of falling: like the fall of something with branches or extensions (e.g. a person falling from a height with the limbs spread out).
gbaigbai1 [g͡bàig͡bài] adv.
with the verb yunnu: to open and close repeatedly; to gasp:
ọ ghi yunnu gbaigbai vbene ọ khian wu“He is now gasping like someone about to die.”
gbaigbai2 [g͡bàig͡bài] adv.
describes a manner of walking: with confident strides: ọ gha ze owe gbaigbai: “He is striding confidently”.
gbakiyẹyẹ [g͡bákíyɛ̀yɛ́] vb.
(< gbe-akiyẹyẹ) “to make a joke”, to make a fool of; to make a joke of:
Iran gha yae gbakiyẹyẹ“They are making a fool of him”
.
gbakpan1 [g͡bákpã́] vb.
(< gbe-akpan) to be bald.
gbakpan2 [g͡bák͡pã́] vb.
(< gbe-akpan): “to cause obstruction with foot”: 1. to obstruct or intercept someone walking along by causing him/her to stumble over his/her foot:
Ọ gbakpan yọ mwẹn owẹ, i na de“He caused me to stumble, and I fell”
: to cause to falter in one’s walk:
Ukpọn ne ọ rhuaen gbakpan ye ọre owẹ “The cloth she had wrapped around her caused her to falter in her walk.”
gbalama [g͡bálàmà] vb.
(< gbe ― alama) to be meddlesome; to undertake responsibilities that normally belong to others.
gbalaza [g͡bálázá] adj.; adv.
cf. gbadaa.
gbaleto [g͡bàlètó] vb.
(< gbalọ ― eto) “to wrap hair”: to wear a head-scarf.
gbalọ [g͡bàlɔ́] vb.
1. to wrap;
2. pl. or iter. sense of gba: to tie several objects; or to tie a rope round and round several times.
gbangbanangban [g͡bã́g͡bã́ã́g͡bã́] adj.; adv.
1. (introduced by the verb ye): strong; tight;
2. (used with other verbs): tightly; firmly:
Ọ ya ise kan iran kugbe gbangbanangban“He nailed them together firmly.”
gbangbanangban [g͡bã̀g͡bã̀ã̀gbã̀] adj.; adv.
erect; stiff; rigid.:
ọ mudia gbangbanangban: “It stood erect.”
gbankangbankan [g͡bã̀kã̀g͡bã̀kã̀] adj.; adv.
describes shape: big and thick (of several objects).
gbannọ [g͡bã̀nɔ̃́] vb.
1. to clear; to brighten up; (e.g. of cloudy weather):
Iso hia gbannọ nẹ“The entire sky has cleared. (i.e. it won’t rain any longer)”^
;
2. (of sickness) to improve:
Oni ne ọ gbẹe fẹko gbannọ nẹ“The fever that had afflicted him is now gradually improving.”
gbaroghee [g͡báɽòɣèé] vb.
(< gbe2 ― aro ― ghee): to take care of; to look after:
Rẹn ẹre ọ gbaroghe mwẹn vbe asikito“He was the person who looked after me in the hospital”
.
gbasan [g͡básã́] vb.
1. (< gbe3 ― asan) “to beat (with) cane”; to whip; to cane;
2. (idiomatic); to urinate (of male only).
gbe1 [g͡bé] vb.
1. to hatch:
ọkhọkhọ mwẹn gbe ihinrọn“My hen hatched seven (chicks)”^
;
2. to break (of day):
Ẹdẹ ma he gbe“The day has not broken: It is not yet daybreak.”
;
3. to force open (e.g. door)
Urho-iyekowa ẹre oyi gbe laọ owa“It was the back door that the thief forced open to get into the house.”
;
4. (with ete olighi, etc.): to precipitate something; to cause; to bring about:
Ọ gbe olighi ye iran iko“He caused a disruption in their meeting.”
gbe2 [g͡bé] vb.
1. to dance:
Iran gha gbe ugho“They are dancing ugho dance”
.
2. to move:
ọ gha gbe yo gbe re“It is moving back and forth; i.e. it is not stable”
.
gbe3 [g͡bé] vb.
1. to beat; flog:
Iye Ozo gbẹẹ ye emwin ne ọ mu-fua“Ozo’s mother beat him on account of the thing he lost”
.
2. to catch in a trap:
Ọ ya ifi gbe uzo“He caught an antelope with his trap.”
3. to kill;
imọto gbe arhunmwenva vbe odẹ Ẹdo“A car killed two people along the Benin road.”
gbe4 [g͡bé] vb.
to pick leaves of a plant by hand:
I khian ya gbe ebuwọnmwẹn vbe iyekowa“I am going to pick vegetables from the back-yard.”
gbe5 [g͡bé] vb.
to undertake; to do; to make; to produce;
gbugbo gbeugbo): “to do farm” ― to make a farm, or to engage in farming
.
gbe6 [g͡bé] vb.
1. (usually with liquids) to pour, to spill:
Ọ gbe amẹ ye otọ“He poured water on the ground”
;
2. to expose to; to come into contact with:
Ọ ya egbe gbe amẹ“He got his body wet.”
3. to soil; to make dirty:
Ọ gbe ukpọn gbe“she wears out cloth too readily.”
gbe7 [g͡bé] vb.
to be forfeited; to be gone for good:
Igho hia ne o zẹ ye ovbokhan ren uhunmwun gbee“All the money he had paid on his wife’s head (i. e. as bride-price) is forfeited.”
gbe8 [g͡bé] adv.
1. very well; very much:
ọ mose gbe“She is very beautiful”
;
2. excessively; too much.
Ọghue bun gbe“Yours are too plentiful i.e. Yours are more than you should have.”
gbè [g͡bè] prep.
against:
Ọ mu uhunmwun gbe ẹkhu“He hit his head against the door.”
gbè-gué [g͡bègwèé] vb.
to protect one’s secrets or weakness; to cover up for someone.
gbè-kaan [gbèkã́ɛ̃] vb.
“to move and touch”: to venture into contact with; to cross somebody’s path (in an adventurous sense):
Ghẹ gbe-kaan rẹn ighẹ ẹ i maa“Don’t cross his path, for he is not good!”
.
gbe-kue [g͡bèkweé] vb.
“to break and spill over”: to abuse vituperatively; to revile a person.
Okhuo nii ghi gbe-kue Ozo nẹ, ekhue na ghi mu ẹnrẹn“After that woman had reviled Ozo, he became ashamed.”
gbe-muotọ [g͡bèmwótɔ̀] vb.
“to beat to the ground”
1. to ruin completely; to exhaust someone’s resources;
2. to deface; to wreck.
gbe-rua [g͡bèɽuá] vb.
“to beat to the limit”: to kill. (also gbua).
gbee [g͡bèé] vb.
1. to slant:
Owẹ ọvbokhan na gbeere“This child’s legs are slanted i.e. they are not straight.”
2.
Iran mu erhan gbee odẹ“They placed a stick across the road to block it.”
gbegbeegbe [g͡bég͡béég͡bé] adv.
all (without exception); totally:
Iran hia kpaa gbegbeegbe“They all left totally.”
gbei [g͡beí] adv.
usually occurs after a clause or sentence to denote that the action expressed by the verb in the clause/sentence was performed in vain:
Vbene iran gualọ ọre sẹ, gbei, a ma miọẹn“In spite of how hard they looked for it, it was in vain; it was not found.”
gbehẹn [g͡béhɛ̃̀] vb.
(< gbe3 ― ehen) “to catch fish”: to fish.
gbenbe [g͡bẽ̀bé] vb.
(< gbẹn-ebe) “to write book”: to write; to write a letter.
gbele [g͡bèlé] vb.
pl. or reit. of gbe:
Ọ ya asan gbele iran“He flogged them with a cane.”
gberraa [g͡bèràá] vb.
to pass; to cross; to go through.
gbẹbẹn [gbɛ́bɛ̃̀] vb.
(< gbe2-ebẹn) “to dance (with) ẹbẹn”: to toss ẹbẹn in the ceremonial dance performed by chiefs while paying their respects to the Ọba.
gbẹhun [g͡bɛ̀hṹ] vb.
(< gbe ― ẹhun) “to break into a decayed state”: to decay from insect contamination.
gbẹmwẹnho [g͡bɛ̀ɱɛ̃̀hó] vb.
(< gbe-ẹmwẹn-ẹho): to spell out the meaning of a word in direct terms; to speak in direct, rather than idiomatic language.
gbẹn1 [g͡bɛ̃́] vb.
to write; to carve; to mark.
gbẹn2 [g͡bɛ̃́] vb.
to deflesh a piece of meat; to chew around bone.
gbẹn3 [g͡bɛ̃́] vb.
to clear off grass from a plot:
gbẹn irunmwun“cut grass”
.
gbẹngbẹn [g͡bɛ̃̀gbɛ̃́] vb.
1. intensive sense of gbẹn2;
2. to narrate in great detail, especially in secret:
Emwin hia ne iran ru ẹre vbe iyẹe i rre owa, ọ na doo gbẹngbẹn ehia ma iyẹe“All the things that they had done to her when her mother was away from home, she then narrated it all in great detail to her mother”
.
gbẹnnẹ [gbɛ̃̀nɛ̃́] vb.
pl. and reit. sense of gben1:
Ọ gbẹnnẹ emwin ye aro“She has marks on her face.”
gbẹro [g͡bɛ́ɽó] vb.
to be exterminated.
U gha gbẹro“May you become exterminated”. (a common curse)
.
gbẹtẹ [g͡bɛ́tɛ̀] vb.
(< gbe ― ẹtẹ): to have an ulcer or a sore (usually on a leg or foot).
gbẹu [g͡bɛ̀u] adv.
describes a sudden and hard fall.
gbidii [g͡bídíí] adv.
with the verb (hunwan): mute; without uttering a sound.
I tuẹ ọre: ọ hunwan gbidii ― “I greeted him; he remained dead silent.”
gbìdii [g͡bìdìì] adv.
describes the sound of something heavy, such as a tree falling into water.
gbigiawẹ [g͡bìgyáwɛ̀] vb.
(< gbe2 ― igiawẹ) to move with loud steps: to stamp around; to step firmly and loudly.
gbigunma [g͡bìgṹmã̀] vb.
(< gbe5 ― iguma) to grunt (e.g. with pain or fatigue).
gbigbi [g͡bìg͡bí] vb.
to spread like the wind:
Iyẹn nii gbigbi se ehe hia nẹThat news has spread everywhere (like the wind)
.
gbigbigbi [g͡bìg͡bìg͡bì] adv.
describes
1. the sound of a forceful knock on the door;
2. the movement of a strong wind or storm.
gbigbo [g͡bíg͡bò] vb.
(< gbe3 ― igbo) “to hit a top”^: to play the game of igbo (in which a top is spinned in sand, by means of a piece of string tied to a stick).
gbii [g͡bíí] adj.; adv.
(with ye) numerous; very many.
gbighidi [g͡bìɣìdì] adv.
describes the falling of a big and heavy object.
gbikhiavbọ [g͡bíxyavɔ̀] vb.
(< gbe3 ― ikhiavbọ) to beat okro in a wooden mortar with a pestle (the traditional method of preparing okro for use in soup.)
gbinna1 [g͡bĩ̀nã́] vb.
to fight.
gbinna2 [gbĩ̀nã́] vb.
to seek the protection of somebody (from an adversary).
gbinrunmwun [g͡bĩ́ɽũ̀ɱũ̀] vb.
(< gbẹn ― irunmwun): to clear grass.
gbirhu1 [g͡bìřú] vb.
(< gbe5 ― irhu) to make a roost (of a bird) to sit on eggs; to brood.
gbirhu2 [g͡bìřṹ] vb.
(< gbe5 ― irhu) “to make a shade” to cast a shade.
gbirro [g͡bírò] vb.
(< gbe ― irro): to pose a riddle.
gbiyarre [g͡bìyárè] vb.
(< gbe-iyare) “to shout ‘Iyare’”: to wish well somebody who is embarking on a challenging enterprise by uttering “Iyare” (May you go and come); to wish safe return from the performance of a feat.
gboba [g͡bóbà] vb.
(< gbe ― oba): to be dented; to cave in.
gbobodo [g͡bóbóòdò] vb.
(< gbe ― obodo): “to dance obodo”: to pirouette; to spring and spin round and round on one foot.
gbodan [g͡bódã́] vb.
(< gbe ― odan): to interrupt; to obstruct.
gbodoo [g͡bódóó] adj.; adv.
very wide, broad (also gbodoo [gbòdòò]; gboo).
gbogiẹ [g͡bògyɛ́] vb.
(< gbe ― ogié) laugh at; to make fun of.
gbohio [g͡bòhyó] vb.
(< gbe ― ohio): to cave in; (of ground): to give way.
gbokoo [g͡bókóó] adj.
(used with ye) well-built; (of human beings); tall and stout.
gbokhokho [g͡bóxoxò] vb.
(< gbe3 ― okhokho): to hit on the head with the knuckles.
gbokhokheve [g͡bòxóxèvé] vb.
(< gbe1 ― okhokho-evẹ): to burst into tears; gbokhokhogie: “to burst into laughter”.
gboo [g͡bóó] adj.
cf. gbodoo.
gbotọ1 [g͡bótɔ̀] vb.
(< gbe3 ― otọ): to wear routinely; to wear everyday.
gbotọ2 [g͡bótɔ̀] adv.
(< gbe ― otọ): against the ground; down:
Ọ de gbotọ: “It fell down”; “it dropped”
.
gbọfọ [g͡bɔfɔ] vb.
(< gbe ― ọfọ): to break out (with) sweat: to become damp; to be wet.
gbọhun [g͡bɔ́hṹṹ] adj.; adv.
of human beings: to be tall and stout (e.g. an over-grown child).
gbọọ [g͡bɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
to bark (of a dog).
gbọọ [g͡bɔ̀ɔ́] vb.
to plant seedlings or cuttings:
Ọ gbọọ iyan“He planted yam seedlings.”
gbọọọ [g͡bɔ̀ɔ̀ɔ̀] adv.
staring foolishly; looking agape.
gbọrho [g͡bɔ́řɔ̀] vb.
(< gbe1 ― ọrho): “to hit mud”:
1. to be muddy, to get into mud;
2. to move around in the mud.
gbọtọn [g͡bɔ́tɔ̃̀] vb.
(< gbe1 ― ọtọn) to break out with rust: to become rusty.
gbọvo [g͡bɔ̀vó] vb.
(< gbe5 ― ọvo―)^: to begrudge; to resent.
gbua [g͡bùá] vb.
(see gbe-rua).
gbubi [g͡búbì] vb.
(< gbe3 ― ubi): to slap (somebody).
gbugbo [gbúgbó] vb.
(< gbe5 ― ugbo) “to make farm”: to farm.
gbuke [g͡búkè] vb.
(< gbe2 ― uke): “to dance uke dance”: to dance with joy by stamping around to a beat.
gbukegbuke [g͡búkég͡búké] adv.
describes a revolting smell:
Ọ wia gbukegbukeIt smells very badly
.
gbukpukpẹ [g͡búk͡púk͡pɛ̀] vb.
(< gbe2 ― ukpukpe)
1. to dance “ukpukpe” dance;
2. to trek back and forth anxiously.
gbuu [g͡bùù] adv.
describes a bad smell; (e.g. of fermented cassava.).