gabh

pr pt a' gabhail, va & n.
Some idiomatic connections of gabh grouped under the various meanings:
1 Take, accept, receive:
Gabh seo, take this, accept of this; ghabh iad am baile, they took possession of the town; gabh cead, take leave; gabh mo leithsgeul, excuse me; gabh naidheachd dheth, enquire of him for news; ghabh an caladh an long, the harbour received the ship; gabh radharc, take a view; gabh cothrom air, take advantage or opportunity of; gabh a' ghaoth do, disappear into air; ghabh e a' ghaoth dha fhéin, he vanished into air, disappeared.
2 Contain, hold:
Gabh biadh, fill out, as corn; cha robh an t-arbhar a' gabhail bìdh, the corn was not filling out; gabhaidh seo tuillidh, this will hold more; cho mór 's a ghabhas e, as big as it can manage.
3 Sing, say, deliver:
Gabh altachadh, say grace; gabh ceòl, sing; gabh òran, sing a song; gabh òraid, deliver an oration, speech; guth dhaoine a' gabhail ciùil, the voice of men singing.
4 Emotions:
Gabh comhairle, be advised, take counsel; gabh cùram, be concerned about, meditate about; gabh aithreachas, repent; gabh fearg, become angry; gabh iongantas, be surprised; gabh neònachas, be surprised; gabh truas de, pity.
5 Infection:
Ghabh e a' bhreac dheth, he was infected with the smallpox by him.
6 Assume, pretend:
Gabh ort fhéin, pretend; ghabh e air fhéin, he pretended, he assumed to himself, he presumed; gabh ort gum faca thu mi, pretend that you saw me; a' gabhail orra a bhith a' gluasad ann an riochd na Gàidhlig, posing as champions of the Gaelic cause.
7 Burn, kindle, ferment:
An caochan a' gabhail, the wash fermenting; gabhaidh an teine, the fire will kindle; ghabh an t-aingeal, the fire kindled.
8 Undertake, endeavour, be concerned with:
Gabh gnothach ris, meddle with; na gabh gnothach ris, do not meddle with him or it; gabh iolla ris, gabh ealla ris, look at it but have nothing else to do with it (iolla = a look, ealla = letting alone); gabh os làimh, undertake, engage, take in hand; gabh mu, endeavour, go about; ghabh e mun òrdugh le toirt, he set himself thoroughly about obeying the order; ghabh iad orra fhéin, they undertook.
9 Arrange:
Chuir thu ás mo ghabh mi, you have disappointed, distracted me, made me wander from the point, caused me to go astray; air a' ghabh sin biodh, let it be done on that understanding, let that be the arrangement.
10 Must, compelled to:
Ghabhainn a bhith a' falbh, I would require to be going.
11 Enlist, engage as a servant:
Ghabh e 'sna saighdearan, ghabh e san arm, or ghabh e an t-airgead, he enlisted; gabh agamsa, engage with me; gabh aig, engage with (a master) for hire.
12 Make secure:
Gabh aig, make snug; gabh aige, secure it. 2 modify a statement; is math tha e air gabhail aige, it is well secured or seen to.
13 Entertain, treat:
Fhuair mi gabhail agam gu math 's gu ro mhath, I was most hospitably entertained; gabh umam, see to me, take care of me; gabh roimh, entertain. 2‡‡ receive or treat me kindly; ghabh e rium, he received me kindly.
14 Acknowledge:
Gabh ris, acknowledge him, receive him; gabh ris a' phàist, father the child; cha do ghabh e ris a' ghearan ach mall, he did not pay much attention, did not concern himself greatly with the complaint.
15 To worry:
Tha mo chas a' gabhail rium bho cheann seachd bliadhn, my foot has troubled me for seven years.
16 Conceive, become pregnant:
Ghabh i ri cloinn, she conceived.
17 Beat, belabour:
Gabh air, strike him; ghabh an t-amadan air fhéin, the fool struck himself; a' gabhail dhomh, beating me; ghabh iad orra, they struck them; gabh orm, strike me.
18 Betake, repair, proceed, go, (motion):
Gabh mun cuairt air, go round; gabh seachad, pass by; gabh suas, go up; gabh air d' aghaidh, pass on, go forward; gabh an t-aonach, repair to the hill; gabh chun a' mhonaidh, betake yourself to the hill; gabh chun an dorais! be off, leave my presence; gabh gu fleadh na h-òighe, repair to the virgin's feast; gabh do cheum, go your way; gabh (an) rathad, take the road, march off; ghabh e roimhe, he went his way; gabh romhad! begone! gabh romham, lead the way; gabh roimh, intercept, check. 2 go forward or in advance; gabh bhuam! away, begone! bhon is 'e is ni do Chlann Néill na dòirneagan, ghabhadh iad d' an ionnsaigh, since the property of the MacNeills consists of pebbles, let them take to them; mar tha an àird an ear 's an iar a' gabhail fad bho chéile, as far as the east stretches away from the west; is fada bhuaidh sin a ghabh mi, that is not at all what I mean, wish to convey (cf. the English idiom “I will go farther and say …”; gabh le, ride with, be satisfied with; gabh leis, side with him; gabh leis, that will do; gabh an ruaig, take to flight; gabh (an) teicheadh, take to flight.
19 Rest:
Gabh mu thàmh, go to rest; gabh gu clos, be at peace, be quiet; gabh fois, rest yourself.
Gabh is also an auxiliary verb, ceannard nach gabh lùbadh, a chief who cannot be made to yield; cha ghabh sin dèanamh, that cannot be done; gabhaidh sin dèanamh, that can be done.

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