mabby

English

Noun

mabby (uncountable)

1. A Barbadian spirituous liquor or drink distilled from potatoes.
   • 1671 [1670], Arnoldus Montanus, translated by John Ogilby, America: being an accurate description of the New World […], page 358:

     Their usual Drink is Mabby, made of Potato's, which refreshes, and is good against the Phlegm; also another Liquor call'd Oko, made of steep'd Cassadar, and is like Beer in taste, strength, and colour.

   • 1795 October, “Review of New Publications”, in The Gentleman's Magazine: and Historical Chronicle, volume 65, part 2, number 4, page 845:

     The flips or vines they feed hogs and rabbits with; and an excellent drink is made of the roots, called mabby.

   • 1899 March 5, “The Yauco Market”, in Porto Rico: Reports of Henry K. Carroll, Dec. 30, 1898 and Oct. 1899 and of U.S. Insular Commission, May, 1899, published 1899, page 234:

     Others were selling yams, water cresses, radishes, tomatoes, bananas, achiote or annatto, beans, peas, beef, fat bacon, lard, codfish, fresh fish, coffee, sugar, tobacco twists, cigars, rice, bread, sirups used as sweet drinks, mabby (a native drink), and butter.

Adverb

mabby (not comparable)

1. Pronunciation spelling of maybe.
   • 1996, Ray Broadus Browne, Lincoln-lore: Lincoln in the Popular Mind, page 42:

     We allowed as how mabby you took it 'long with you.

   • 2009, Charles Stewart, The Fugitive Blacksmith, page 162:

     "Mabby he won't be tellin' ye all, even if be is shtarted, " replied Mrs. Finerty.

   • 2014, Mary MacLane, Michael R. Brown, Human Days: A Mary MacLane Reader, page 565:

     “Mabby I haint got common sense, and mabby I haint got eyes in my head,” Eli muttered, with dull fire in the place where eyes should have been, if he had had any.