Definitions for ebbɛb

This page provides all possible meanings and translations of the word ebb

Random House Webster's College Dictionary


  1. the flowing back of the tide as the water returns to the sea.

    Category: Oceanography

  2. a flowing backward or away; decline or decay.

  3. a point or state of decline:

    His fortunes were at a low ebb.

  4. (v.i.)to flow back or away, as the water of a tide.

  5. to decline or decay; fade away.

Origin of ebb:

bef. 1000; ME eb(be), OE ebba

Princeton's WordNet

  1. ebb, ebbing, wane(noun)

    a gradual decline (in size or strength or power or number)

  2. ebb, reflux(verb)

    the outward flow of the tide

  3. ebb, ebb away, ebb down, ebb out, ebb off(verb)

    flow back or recede

    "the tides ebbed at noon"

  4. ebb(verb)

    hem in fish with stakes and nets so as to prevent them from going back into the sea with the ebb

  5. ebb(verb)

    fall away or decline

    "The patient's strength ebbed away"


  1. ebb(Noun)

    The receding movement of the tide.

  2. ebb(Noun)

    A gradual decline

  3. ebb(Noun)

    low state, state of depression

  4. ebb(Noun)

    The European bunting

  5. ebb(Verb)

    to flow back or recede

    The tides ebbed at noon.

  6. ebb(Verb)

    to fall away or decline

    The dying man's strength ebbed away.

  7. ebb(Verb)


  8. ebb(Adjective)

    low, shallow


  9. Origin: ebba, from abjōn (compare West Frisian ebbe, Dutch eb, German Ebbe, Old Norse efja ‘countercurrent’), from ab (compare Old English af). More at of, off.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Ebb(noun)

    the European bunting

  2. Ebb(noun)


  3. Ebb(noun)


  4. Ebb(verb)


  5. Ebb(verb)


  6. Ebb(verb)

    to cause to flow back

  7. Ebb(adj)

    receding; going out; falling; shallow; low

Translations for ebb

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary


(of the tide) to go out from the land

The tide began to ebb.

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