gba 2 [ ˥ ]
(1) to tie;
ɔgba ʋ̃-obɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] he tied my hands.
gba [ ˥ ] gĩna [ ˩ ˥ ] to tie to;
igb-ab-enwaʋ̃-ɔ̃xɛrhɛ ni gĩna-ɽ-egbe [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˩ ˩ / ˦ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “I have tied the branch of that young oil palm (ɔxɛrhɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ]) to its body”.
(Also gba [ ˥ ] mu [ ˥ ].) gb-ogba [ ˥ ˩ ] to make a fence (ga [ / ] round something).
Iterat. gbalɔ [ ˩ ˥ ] is used with plural objects, but in ɔgbalɔ ʋ̃-obɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] it means: “he tied my hand several times round”, i.e. he bandaged my hand.
(2) to stick together;
cf. gba 1 [ ˥ ].
gbe 1 [ ˥ ]
(2) to kill;
v. also gbe [ ˥ ] ɽua [ ˥ ].
Iterat. gbele [ ˩ ˥ ];
ɔgbel-iɽ̃ã hia [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] and ɔgbel-iɽ̃ã hi-a [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ / ] he killed them all.
(3) to perform something, esp. a dance;
to dance.
(4) to pick (leaves from a tree).
This verb is also used for various purposes, its exact meaning being determined by a following noun or verb.
Examples 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. agbegĩnotɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].
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 talking (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 bald.
gb-alama [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] to walk about gossiping;
“to interfere”;
ugb-alama gbe, ɣari‿eke n-urie [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ / ] “you gossip too much, go to where you are going” (or, mu-aɽ-uɛ ɣ-od-ɔ (ɣe [ / ]) [ ˩ ˩ / ˩ \ ] “turn your face there!”: get out! v. mi-arale [ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ])+.
gb-aɽo [ ˥ ˩ ] ɣe [ / ] to look after;
ɔgb-aɽo ɣe ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ] he is looking after me;
okpia na m-obɔ gua gb-aɽo ɣ-eʋ̃i n-arhie nɛ rhie ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ / ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˦ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ / / ˩ / ] this man knows very well how to look after things given to him to keep.
gbe [ ˥ ] asã [ ˥ ˥ ] to whip;
ɔgb-ɛɽ-asã [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ] he whipped him.
gb-ebibi [ ˥ / ˩ ] to dazzle;
onwɛ gb-ebibi y-ɔʋ̃-aɽo ʋ-izɛɣ-ɛɽe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ / ˩ ] “the sun dazzled my eyes when I had looked at it for some time”.
gb-edae [ ˩ / ] y-uhuʋ̃u [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] “to make a charm on the head”: to make a charm with beads that is tied to one’s hair (or applied to the beads?);
it ensures long life;
used by the chief Esɔgbã [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ].
gb-ehɛ̃ [ ˥ ˩ ] to fish;
cf. igbehɛ̃, ɔgbehɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].
gb-erh-ɛ̃rhɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] to fell a tree by setting fire to it.
gb-esa [ ˩ ˥ ] l-abɔ (la [ ˥ ]) [ ˩ ˥ ] to take somebody’s side in a dispute (without being concerned oneself);
ɔgb-esa l-abɔ lel-ɛe [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˩ ˩ \ ] he took his side and followed him;
cf. igbesa [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].
gb-eʋ̃i [ ˩ \ ] ha [ ˥ ] to sacrifice something to a god;
igb-eʋ̃i n-ɛɽ̃iʋ̃i [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] I killed something for a juju.
gb-exaxa [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] to make a sign.
gb-ɛbɛ̃ [ ˥ ˩ ] to play the ɛbɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ] (state-sword);
this is done by chiefs when saluting the Ɔba festivals (ugie [ ˩ ˩ ]).
gb-ɛhũ (pf.) [ ˥ ˦ ] to be hollowed out by some insect and thus made useless;
of corn and beans;
ɔka na gb-ɛhũ, ɛɣi-gi-aɽe, sokpã‿maxũ-ɔ̃ɽ̃ɛ̃ n-ɔxɔxɔ [ ˥ / ˩ ˥ ˦ / ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] “this corn is useless, it is no longer edible, unless we strip it off for the chickens”.
gb-ɛte [ ˥ ˥ ] to shoot at a target;
to have a shooting contest;
gi‿ayagb-ɛte [ ˩ ˥ / ˥ ˥ ] let us go and shoot at the target!
gb-ɛʋ̃-ɛ̃ho (ɛʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ], ɛho [ ˩ ˥ ]) [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to let out (something that was meant to be secret);
cf. ɔgbɛʋ̃ɛho [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].
gb-iba [ ˥ ˥ ] to make fun of a man (ya [ ˥ ] gb-iba [ ˥ ˥ ]; v. gb-akiyɛyɛ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ], gb-ogiɛ [ ˩ ˥ ]);
ɔy-egb-ɛɽe gb-iba [ ˩ ˩ ˩ / ˥ ˥ ] he is making fun of himself.
gb-igiãgiã [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] to stamp with the feet and clap hands (to spur on and accompany masquerade dancers) (v. Ɔvia [ ˩ ˥ ]).
gb-igiawɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] to step;
ɔgb-igiawɛ lele ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] he marched behind me;
cf. giɛ [ ˥ ], owɛ [ ˩ ˩ ].
gb-iguma [ ˩ \ ˩ ] to pant, grunt, e.g. when carrying a heavy load;
ihɛ n-ɔmu xua-ɽe gbe, t-ɔɣigb-iguma ʋ-ɔl-oke (la [ ˥ ]) [ ˩ ˩ ˥ \ / ˦ ˧ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “the load he has taken (i.e. he carries) is too heavy for him, he is panting climbing (passing) the hill”.
gb-igbo [ ˥ ˩ ] to spin a top.
gb-iro [ ˥ ˩ ] to ask, pose a riddle (for somebody: na [ ˥ ]);
ɔmu‿ĩro n-igbe nɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ (4-1) ] he guessed the riddle I asked him.
gb-irhu [ ˥ ˩ ] to give shade.
gb-ixiaʋɔ [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] to pound ocro.
gb-itɛ [ ˥ ˥ ] to make a rough clearing in the bush, e.g. for a telegraph-line;
v. fie [ / ] (for farming purposes, involves a much more thorough clearing).
gb-iyare [ ˩ \ ˩ ] to welcome in triumph (a warrior returning from a war).
gb-izɛ [ ˥ ˩ ] to form, bake an izɛ [ ˥ ˩ ] (“rice”) cake (round or oval in a mould);
gb-izɛ mɛ dɛ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] “bake a rice cake for me to buy”;
v. ma 4 [ ˥ ].
gb-obodo [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] to pirouette.
gb-obɔ [ ˩ ˥ ] y-ɔbɔtidi [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] to have an unlucky hand (in handling something).
gbe [ ˥ ] odã [ ˥ ˥ ] to kick;
ɔgbe ʋ̃-odã [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ] he kicked me (man, horse, or cow).
gb-ogiɛ [ ˩ ˥ ] to make fun;
to make fun of: ya [ ˥ ] gb-ogiɛ [ ˩ ˥ ];
v. gb-akiyɛyɛ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ], gb-iba [ ˥ ˥ ].
gb-ohio [ ˩ ˥ ] to bore a hole.
gb-okĩ [ ˥ ˩ ] to perform okĩ [ ˥ ˩ ];
also: fi‿okĩ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ].
gb-oɽoɣo [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] to spread mud on a timber-track.
gb-osiko [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to notch timber.
gb-otɔ [ ˥ ˩ ] “down”, lit. “hit ground” is used as second part of verbal combinations, e.g. in erhã ni de gb-otɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˨ ˩ ] that tree fell down;
iɽ̃ã fi‿erhã gb-otɔ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˩ ] they cut trees down.
gb-oxoxo [ ˩ / ˩ ] giɛ [ ˥ ] to burst with laughter: lit. “to hit with one’s knuckles (and) laugh”.
gb-ɔfɔ [ ˩ ˥ ] to become wet;
to be wet;
ukpɔ̃ ʋ̃ɛ na gb-ɔfɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] “this, my cloth, is (has become) wet”.
gb-ɔkãn-abe [ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ] to have a serious quarrel with somebody (idiomatic).
gb-ɔrho [ ˥ ˩ ] to be muddy.
gb-ɔvo [ ˩ ˥ ] to be jealous;
ɔgb-ɔvo ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] she is jealous of me.
gbe [ ˥ ] ɔvo [ ˩ ˥ ] to make somebody jealous;
eʋ̃i n-uɽu nɛ gbe ʋ̃-ɔ̃vo [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ (4-1) ˩ ˩ ˥ ] what you have done for her makes me jealous.
gb-ubi [ ˥ ˩ ] to slap;
ɔgb-ubi y-ɔʋ̃-ãɽo [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] he slapped my face.
gb-ubi [ ˩ ˥ ] to make holes for yam-sticks (with the pointed stick ubi [ ˩ ˥ ]).
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 following the main verb;
ɔgw-ob-iɽ̃ã gbe [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ] (gwɛ [ ˥ ]) he is much (well) acquainted with them;
ɔgw-ob-iɽ̃ã gbe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˥ ] something 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 [ / ]
(1) to cross;
to pass;
in gbe [ / ] ra [ / ];
ɔgbe ra xiã ʋ-imi-ɔɛ̃ n-owiɛ [ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] he was passing along when I saw him this morning;
gbe ra n-uɣɛɣiɣe ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ / ˦ ˦ ˩ ˩ \ ] pass without looking at me!
Also “besides”: ɔs-iɽ̃ã‿eha n-ir-eʋa gbe ra-ɽe (sɛ [ ˥ ]) [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ (4-1) ˩ / ˩ ] there were three of them there besides him (lit. “it reached them three...”).
Also used as second verb in verbal combinations, imparting a motion across something, v. mu 1 [ ˥ ], vĩ [ ˥ ].
(2) to bar by putting something in (“across”) the way, e.g. (a) to show that a certain plot has been chosen for clearing a farm;
it is done by putting two crossed planks on a small round cleared spot in the bush;
(b) to debar access to one’s wife by using a certain “medicine”: uxuʋ̃u n-aya gb-oxuo [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ] medicine taken to “cross” a woman.
gbe [ / ] odɛ [ ˩ ˥ ] to bar the road;
to bar one’s way, or, plan;
uhuʋ̃u n-ɔgie re gbe ʋ̃-od-eʋ̃i n-iteɽaɽu-ɽɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] the message which he sent prevented me from doing the thing that I was going to do to-day.
gb-otɔe [ / ˩ ] xɛ [ / ] “to bar ground wait”: to put poison (eɽ̃uã [ ˩ ˥ ]) into somebody’s path in order that he may contract a disease, etc.;
ɔgb-otɔe x-ɔɽe [ ˩ / ˩ / ˩ ] “he poisoned the ground waited for him”: he put poison in his path;
v. fi [ ˥ ] xɛ [ / ].
gbɛ̃ [ ˥ ]
(1) to cut oil;
ɔgb-ĩɽ̃uʋ̃u [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] he is cutting grass;
igb-ɔɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ‿ / ] I cleaned it (e.g. a coconut from the surrounding fibres).
(2) to carve (with an agbɛ̃ [ ˥ ˥ ]);
ɔgb-ĩvĩ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] he is carving a coconut.
(3) to write;
in gb-ẽbe [ ˩ ˥ ] lit. “to write leaf”: to write a book, letter, etc.;
ɔgb-ẽbe gũ ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ] he wrote to me;
cf. ɔgbẽbe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].
(4) to make a mark;
in gbɛ̃ [ ˥ ] orhue [ ˩ ˩ ] to mark with chalk;
infants are marked with chalk from a few days after their birth up to the age of about seven months.
Iterat. gbɛ̃nɛ [ ˩ ˥ ] to mark the face with tattooings.
gbĩ [ ˥ ]
to be blunt (of a knife);
eɽɔ na gbĩ, n-uyalɔ‿e re [ ˩ / ˩ \ ˥ / ˥ ˩ ˥ ] this knife is blunt, (so that) you should go (and) sharpen it (and) come!
abɛ na fɛko gbĩ, wɛ kwelɔ‿e yi [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ / ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] this knife is getting blunt, have you really sharpened it?
gbodoo [ ˥ ˥ ]
wide;
broad (not as much as nyamaɽ̃ã [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ]);
used of something that is extensive, deep or long as well, as roads, rivers, bonds, and spaces;
ɔʋɛe gbodoo [ ˩ \ ˥ ˥ ] it is very wide;
cf. gbodoo [ ˩ ˩ ];
v. gbadaa [ ˦ ˦ ], gbadaa [ ˩ ˩ ].