fib

«fib» in Mova's school dictionary: a small lie, usually about something not very important — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

part of speech

noun (a fib, fibs); verb (fib, fibs, fibbed, fibbing)

meaning for a pupil

1) (informal) A fib is a small lie, usually about something not very important. tree →

2) (informal) To fib means to tell a small lie. tree →

sense in the lessons

In everyday talk with children: "Are you telling fibs?" In stories a character tells a fib to get out of trouble and it grows. Phrases: tell a fib, a little fib, fib about.

examples

• Don't tell fibs! tree →
• He fibbed about brushing his teeth. tree →
• It was just a little fib to keep the party a surprise. tree →
• I knew she was fibbing because she giggled. tree →
• One fib led to another and another. tree →
• Tell the truth — no fibbing. tree →

note

Informal, softer word for lie. Past: fibbed (double b). A person who fibs is a fibber. A fib is still a lie, even if it is small.

In the corpora

• Gently he asks why he told such a fib, since his stamping would not bend a blade of grass.
• What made you tell that awful fib to your wife?»
• "Vivid imagination" on a report can mean the pupil tells fibs or daydreams.
• A "fib" is a small lie.
• By Friday she's exhausted: one fib needs another fib, and another.

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «fib» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.