Glib

Pronunciation

• IPA: /É¡lɪb/
• Rhymes: -ɪb

Probably modification of Low German glibberig (slippery) or a shortening of English glibbery (slippery).

Full definition of glib

Adjective

1. Having a ready flow of words but lacking thought or understanding; superficial; shallow.
2. Smooth or slippery.a sheet of glib ice
3. Artfully persuasive in nature.a glib tongue; a glib speech
• ShakespeareI want that glib and oily art,
  To speak and purpose not.

Derived terms

• glibly
• glibness

Verb

1. (transitive) To make glib.

From Irish glib.

Noun

1. (historical) A mass of matted hair worn down over the eyes, formerly worn in Ireland.
• 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, IV.8:Whom when she saw in wretched weedes disguiz'd,
  With heary glib deform'd and meiger face,
  Like ghost late risen from his grave agryz'd,
  She knew him not ….
• SpenserThe Irish have, from the Scythians, mantles and long glibs, which is a thick curled bush of hair hanging down over their eyes, and monstrously disguising them.
• SoutheyTheir wild costume of the glib and mantle.

Compare Old English and dialect lib to castrate, geld, Danish dialect live, Low German and Old Dutch lubben.

Verb

1. (obsolete) To castrate; to geld; to emasculate.
• 1623: William Shakespeare, , Act II Scene 1Fourteen they shall not seeTo bring false generations. They are co-heirs;And I had rather glib myself than theyShould not produce fair issue.