gubbins

Ante 1553. From gobbon (“piece, portion, slice”), from Old French gobon, gobet (“piece”). Cognate with English gobony (“line of alternating squares”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈɡʌb.ɪnz/

gubbins pl (plural only)

1. (obsolete) Fragments; parings; scraps (especially of fish).
   • 1599, Nashe, Thomas, Nashe's Lenten Stuff:

     Hough, you hunger-starved gubbins or offals of men, how thrive you, how perish you?

2. (Britain, informal) Assorted stuff, especially if of little value; tat.
   • 2017 Summer, Jovovich, Milla, “My Movie Masterming: Resident Evil Special”, in Empire, number 337, page 135:

     I had to memorise so much dialogue that never makes it into the movie so I always have a plethora of extra gubbins I can't remember.

• (assorted stuff): See Thesaurus:thingy or Thesaurus:trifle

gubbins (plural gubbins)

1. (Britain, informal) Silly person; fool. [from 20th c.]
   • 1916, Benson, Edward Frederic, David Blaize‎, page 146:

     "Silly gubbins," she said. "You told me twice, and I was interested even the second time. […] "

• (silly person): See Thesaurus:fool

• Wikipedia article on placeholder names

• subbing