Forms: 4–6, 9 dial. beb, 6 bibb, byb, bybbe, 6–7 bibbe, 4– bib. [Possibly an adaptation of L. bib-ĕre, to drink; but it may have originated independently, in an imitation of repeated movements of the lips; cf. the variant beb.] trans. and intr. To drink; keep on drinking, tipple.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1499. A boster on benche bibbes þer-of.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Reeve’s T., 242. This Millere hath so wisely bibbed [v.r. bebbed] Ale That as an hors he snorteth in his sleepe.
1566. Drant, Horace Sat., vii. E iv b. Thou thinkes by sleepe, and bibbinge wyne, to banishe out all woes.
1641. Vox Borealis, in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), IV. 433. If they cannot byte of a bannock, and bibbe of the brooke.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett., II. 48. As soon a little little Ant Shall bib the Ocean dry.
1879. Browning, Ned Bratts, 5. Folks kept bibbing beer While the parsons prayed for rain.
b. Bib-all-night: a drunkard, confirmed toper.
1612. Sylvester, Lacrym. Lacr., Wks. (1621), 1150. Bats, Harpies, Sirens, Centaurs, Bib-all-nights.
