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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CHIB, n., v. Gangster slang.

I. n. A knife, a dagger; a knife or razor used as a weapon (Edb., Gsw., Ayr. 2000s).Gsw. 1962 Bill McGhee Cut and Run 210:
You're talkin' aboot me an' ma chib.Gsw. 1973 Observer (28 Jan) 29:
Pat put his left hand into his top right-hand pocket, where ‘chibs’ (or weapons) were normally carried.Gsw. 1979 Farquhar McLay in Moira Burgess and Hamish Whyte Streets of Stone (1985) 112:
In for a rude awakening in tackling Abe. Being your chibs: Abe needs no chib. At karate since he was eight years old. Gsw. 1985 Michael Munro The Patter 16:
chib A knife or razor used as a weapon. To chib someone is to stab or slash. Gsw. 1986:
Chib - very common in Glasgow courts from at least 1950s. Gsw. 1987 Peter Mason C'mon Geeze Yer Patter! 49:
The bampot ripped him wi' a chib efter gittin' heidered. The idiot slashed him with a bladed weapon after being butted. Gsw. 1989 Joy Hendry ed. Chapman 55-6 133:
'Glasvegas'
A new musical play set in Glasgow - City of winos, wine bars, wimmen and song; charming chancers, chibs and chinas, wee fat ladies, louts and Lanlig; gellus gallus gals and gemmie gangsters ... Edb. 1994 Irvine Welsh Acid House 225:
...Ye dinnae ken what any cunt whae's jellied'll go n dae whin thir cairryin a chib. Sc. 2004 Herald (21 Aug) 3:
If we are going to have daft Olympic sports, and I'm all for it, why don't the organisers push the envelope by including catching a piece thrown from the fourth floor, running away from man with chib and individual dirt-eating, all of which I mastered during a Glaswegian childhood.

Combs.: (1) chib man, a razor-slasher; (2) chib-mark, a scar from a knife wound. (1) Gsw. 1962 Bill McGhee Cut and Run 45:
'Ah'm no' gonny run aboot wi' ony chib-man.'Sc. 2003 Guardian (7 Aug) 18:
So when he landed in the adult system he had a good understanding of who he was and where he wanted to go. Unlike Kelty, still play-acting and glorying in his role as a hired chib man.(2) Gsw. 1988 Michael Munro The Patter Another Blast 12:
chib-mark A scar, as from a wound of a razor or knife: 'Check that for a hard ticket, eh? Chib-marks aw ower the coupon.'Sc. 2001 Evening Times (28 Mar) 54:
Questions abounded about the Scotland boss. Why didn't he use all his subs when Scotland were visibly tiring and where did he get those chib marks on his napper?Sc. 2002 Sunday Herald (27 Jan) 2:
His creation, the Sage of Maryhill, a wonderful, homespun character who inhabited the Maryhill Vaults public house, could have stepped from the pages of Damon Runyan, with an added glottal stop and, no doubt, a chib mark.Sc. 2003 Scotsman (23 Aug) 6:
It has a reputation more for chib marks than cappuccinos. But Easterhouse has marked its return to the civilised fold with the announcement that Borders Books is to open a new superstore just a stone's throw from the scheme's once notorious streets.Sc. 2004 Daily Record (18 Mar) 32:
At times it was like Rab C. Nesbitt with everyone noblemen and women included sporting huge chib marks, drinking heavily and saying 'aye!' in deeply aggressive tones.

II. v. To stab, knife (Edb., Gsw., Ayr. 2000s).Gsw. 1962 Bill McGhee Cut and Run 87:
I saw it coming and couldn't duck. That was the way Ben chibbed. Drunk or sober, he was quick.Gsw. 1973 Observer (28 Jan) 29:
They talked continually about who had ‘chibbed’ (stabbed) whom.Gsw. 1985 Michael Munro The Patter 16:
To chib someone is to stab or slash. Gsw. 1986:
To chib - very common in Glasgow courts from at least 1950s. Gsw. 1990 John and Willy Maley From the Calton to Catalonia 32:
Frankly, ah'd raither get chibbed wae a pen. Gsw. 1992 I. Pattison More Rab C. Nesbitt Scripts 20:
JAMESIE. (Bantering.) Kill him. Top him. Chib him. Gie him the malky. NESBITT. Away and don't talk stupid, I canny do that! Gsw. 1999 Paul Foy in Moira Burgess and Donny O'Rourke New Writing Scotland 17: Friends and Kangaroos 47:
So therr's me staunin therr expectin tae get chibbed but A'm gonny take a few a them wey me when the car horn starts honkin ootside ... Sc. 2003 Mail on Sunday (30 Nov) 27:
'See you, Jimmy,' is often the prelude to a chibbing in the 'dear green place'. The Glasgow kiss and Glasgow smile are part of the cityscape. Sc. 2004 Daily Record (13 Sep) 11:
I tried to find out more about this strange tribe at the tourist office, but I couldn't get a bloodstained tea towel with 'Gie's a pound or ah'll chib ye' written on it anywhere.