[‘ A petty or pointless dispute, a squabble; trivial or nonsensical speech or writing; squabbling, quarrelling; idle chit-chat. Only in collocation pribble and prabble.']
Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈprɪbl/, U.S. /ˈprɪb(ə)l/
Forms: 16 *prible*, 16– *pribble*.
Etymology:Variant of prabble n., perhaps arising from the reduplicated formation pribble-prabble n. (which is attested slightly earlier).
In quots. 1603, 1693 representing a supposed Welsh English pronunciation.
A petty or pointless dispute, a squabble; trivial or nonsensical speech or writing; squabbling, quarrelling; idle chit-chat. Only in collocation pribble and prabble.
1603 T. Dekker et al. /Patient Grissill/ sig. C3v, Her thinke the prittish shentleman, is faliant as Mars that, is..the God of pribles & prables.
1693 T. D’Urfey /Richmond Heiress/ i. i. 8 There is crete deale of Doubts, and Jealousies, and Pribbles, and Prabbles, which shew Loves and Affections, look you.
1853 Thackeray /Newcomes/ (1854) I. ii. 15 All these squabbles and jokes, and pribbles and prabbles,..may be omitted.
1906 /Times/ 28 Sept. 6/3 (advt.) (title) Pribbles and prabbles: or rambling reflections on varied topics.
1993 /Observer/ (Nexis) 31 Oct. (Review section) 11 The intoxication of language, the pribbles and prabbles, the literary jokes..are just right in this setting.