ebb — ONAD · Shobdo

ebb /eb, ɛb

▸ noun (usually the ebb) the movement of the tide out to sea:

[as modifier] the ebb tide

I knew the tide would be on the ebb.

▸ verb [no object]

1 (of tidewater) move away from the land; recede:

the tide began to ebb.

Compare with flow.

2 (of an emotion or quality) gradually lessen or reduce:

my enthusiasm was ebbing away.

– PHRASES
at a low ebb
in a poor state:

the country was at a low ebb due to the recent war.

ebb and flow
a recurrent or rhythmical pattern of coming and going or decline and regrowth:

the ebb and flow of state politics and power.

– ORIGIN Old English ebba (noun), ebbian (verb), of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch ebbe (noun), ebben (verb), and ultimately to of which had the primary sense ‘away from’.