gb-ugbo [ ˥ ˥ ] to do farm work (as
one’s occupation); to be a
farmer. gb-ugb-ogi-erhã [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˧ ]
to play a certain children’s game
which consists in guessing things
that are known to a few of the
players only. gb-uke [ ˥ ˩ ] to stamp
one’s feet (as in a special kind of
dance); uke ɔgbe na ɽa [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] is
he stamping uke there? (The na
is used when the speaker can see
the man.) gb-umɛ [ ˩ ˥ ] to rub
oneself with camwood (which
dyes the skin red); this is e.g.
done by the women members of
Ɔxwahɛ [ ˩ / ˩ ] at the ikpolɛki
[ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] festival, and by men, at
the agwɛ [ ˩ ˩ ] (new-yam festival
at the Ɛguae [ ˩ ˩ ]); ɔgb-umɛ n-
ɔxwahɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ / ˩ ] she has rubbed
(herself with) camwood for
Ɔxwahɛ. gb-uzɛbu [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to dance
the Uzɛbu [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] dance (gbe [ ˥ ] is
also used with the names of
other dances, e.g. gb-akaba [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ],
or gb-ukpukpɛ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] “to dance
a war-dance”).
gbe 2 [ ˥ ] a verb indicating that an
action is performed intensively
or extensively, or that a certain
state exists to a high degree
(“much”, “well”); always fol-
lowing the main verb; ɔgw-ob-iɽ̃ã
gbe [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ] (gwɛ [ ˥ ]) he is much
(well) acquainted with them;
ɔgw-ob-iɽ̃ã gbe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˥ ] some-
thing like: he is always in their
company. (The verbal character
of gbe is shown by the different
intonation in these two forms,
the pf. and ipf.)
gbe 3 [ ˥ ] (1) to be rotten; aɽ̃aʋ̃ɛ
na gbe [ ˩ ˩ / ˩ \ ] this meat is
rotten (so that only parts of it
are eatable). (2) ɔgbe [ ˩ \ ] also
