(2) to kill; v. also gbe [ ˥ ] ɽua [ ˥ ].
Iterat. gbele [ ˩ ˥ ]; ɔgbel-iɽ̃ã hia
[ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] and ɔgbel-iɽ̃ã hi-a [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ / ]
he killed them all. (3) to per-
form something, esp. a dance;
to dance. (4) to pick (leaves
from a tree). (5) to catch, of
a trap. This verb is also used
for various purposes, its exact
meaning being determined by
a following noun or verb. Ex-
amples of combinations with
verbs: gbe [ ˥ ] gĩn-otɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] to hit
against the ground, e.g. when
killing a snake, and also in the
meaning of “to insult somebody
who is ill and in bed”; cf. agbegĩ^
notɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ]. gbe [ ˥ ] miɛ [ / ] lit.
“to hit (and) take (something)
from (somebody)”: to seize
something by force; ɔgbe ʋ̃ɛ
miɛ ʋ̃ɛ-ɽe [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ (4-1) ] he seized it
from me (by force). gbe [ ˥ ]
mu‿otɔ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] to ruin somebody.
gbe [ ˥ ] ɽua [ ˥ ] to kill. gbe [ ˥ ]
yo [ ˥ ] gbe [ ˥ ] re [ ˥ ] to turn over
and over; to fumble; ɔgbe n-eʋ̃i
yo gb-ɛe re, ɔmadɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˨ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ \ ]
“he handled the thing ‘to and
fro’ (but) he did not buy (it)”
(the syllable gb-ɛe is actually a
fall, not a low tone; this could,
however, not be shown here);
imaɽ̃ɛ̃ ʋ-ɔguã, ɔɣagb-en-ɛʋ̃ɛ yo gb-
ɛe re ʋ-eʋa [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ / ‿ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ / ˥ / ˩ ˩ \ ]
“I don’t know what he is talk-
ing (about), he is turning the
matter over and over there”,
i.e. he is not taIking to the point.
Combinations with nouns: gb-
akiyɛyɛ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] to make fun (of
somebody: ya [ ˥ ]); iya‿e gb-
akiyɛyɛ [ ˩ ˥ / ˦ ˦ ˩ ˥ ] I made fun of
him, or, made a fool of him; v.
gb-iba [ ˥ ˥ ]. gb-akpã [ ˥ ˥ ] to be
