Words for to take, hold and related things in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *gabyeti = to grab, seize, take, hold *gabaglā = taking |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | gabi |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | gaibid [ˈɡavʲiðʲ] = to hold, grasp, take, seize, capture, gain (victory), put on (clothing), recite, declare gabál = taking argaib [arˈɡavʲ] = to seize, capture congaibid [konˈɡavʲ] = to contain, preserve, keep, uphold conocaibid [konˈhoɡəvʲ] = to raise, rise, uplift, exalt, extol fogaibid [foˈɡavʲ] = to find, discover, get, gain, obtain |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | gaibid = to hold, grasp, take, seize, capture, gain (victory), put on (clothing), recite, declare gabáil = taking aurgaibid = to seize, capture congmaid = to contain, preserve, keep, uphold |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | gabh [ɡavʲ/ɡo(ː)] = to take, arrest, go, come gabháil = taking aisghabh = to retake, recover possession of gabh mo leithscéal = excuse me urghabh = to seize, capture |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | gabh [gav] = take, go, recite, break (in) ath-ghabh = retake, recover, regain, impound gabh mo lethsgeul = excuse me, pardon gabhail [gahal] = taking, lease, tenure, conquest |
| Manx (Gaelg) | gow = to take gow my leshtal = excuse me, sorry, I beg your pardon goaill = acceptance, affect, apprehend, apprehension, arrest, capture, catch, contraction, engage, seizure, receive, take aaghoaill = to recapture, reconquer, re-engage, retake |
| Proto-Brythonic | *gabal- = breadth, side *gavaɣl = to hold, grasp |
| Old Welsh | gabael = to hold, grasp, grip |
| Middle Welsh (Kymreac) | gauayleu, gauael = to hold, grasp, grip gauaelant, gauaelu, gavailio = to hold tight, take hold, clutch |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | gafael [ˈɡavaɨ̯l/ˈɡaːvai̯l] = to hold, grasp, grip gafaeladwy = available gafaelaf, gafaelio = to hold tight, take hold, clutch, grip, arrest, grapple, snatch, seize gafaeliad = a holding, hold, grasp, capture, attachment, comprehension, adherence, spasm |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | gaval = to hold, lay hold of, grasp, have gavel = a hold, a grasp |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | gavel = capacity, grasp |
| Old Breton | gabael = to hold (?) |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- (to grab, take) [source].
Words from the same PIE roots include able, debt, debit, doubt and habit in English, avere (to have) in Italian, avoir (to have) in French, and haber (to hold, possess) in Spanish [source].
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic
