gaby

A boy called a gaby by his friends looks confused.

Definition

1. Noun (countable):
   • A foolish or naive person: "gaby" refers to a person who is considered silly, gullible, or lacking in common sense. It is an informal, somewhat dated term.

Usage Examples

• (Don't be so foolish or naive.)
• (He is a silly or gullible person.)
• (She called him foolish for trusting the tale.)

Advanced Usage

• "to make a gaby of oneself": to behave in a foolish or embarrassing way.

  • He made a complete gaby of himself at the party by telling that inappropriate joke. (He acted foolishly and embarrassed himself.)

• "gaby" as a mild insult: Often used playfully or affectionately among friends, similar to "silly goose" or "ninny".

  • Oh, you gaby, you forgot your keys again! (You silly person, you forgot your keys.)

Variants and Related Words

• Gaby (n): No common variants; the word is primarily used as a standalone noun.
• Gaby-like (adj): resembling a foolish or naive person (rare).
  • His gaby-like expression gave away his confusion. (His foolish-looking expression revealed his lack of understanding.)

Synonyms

• Fool: a person who acts unwisely or imprudently.
• Simpleton: a person lacking intelligence or common sense.
• Dolt: a stupid or slow-witted person.
• Ninny: a foolish or weak-minded person.
• Gullible (adj): easily deceived or tricked (describes a quality, not a person directly).

Related Idioms

• "A bit of a gaby": used to describe someone as somewhat foolish.

  • He's a bit of a gaby, but he means well. (He is slightly foolish but has good intentions.)

• "Don't be a gaby": a mild admonishment to stop being silly.

  • Don't be a gaby; that's not how the machine works. (Stop being foolish; that is incorrect.)

Phrasal Verbs

• None directly associated with "gaby". The word is a noun and does not form phrasal verbs.