English Dictionary

gaffle

/ˈɡæfl̩/

verb

To grab or seize / To get hold of, to find. / To arrest for criminal activity. / To steal / To swindle or bully (someone) / To talk without a purpose, usually about inane or pointless topics; to babble.

He tried to gaffle the thief before he could escape.

意味（1）

To grab or seize

They would grapple till they were tired, then stop; but as soon as one would start for the bears the other would gaffle him again.

意味（2）

To get hold of, to find.

Ye see, he knew there wasn't barely enough grazing for him on that oasis, and a short supply of dates for me, and he had gaffled onto that place and warn't going to let go for no black feller nor yet yeller.

意味（3）

To arrest for criminal activity.

Most forgers were “drunken checkers," men who had forged checks at taverns, although now and then someone would arrive who had hung a great deal of paper before getting gaffled.

意味（4）

To steal

I presume that one of them walked out to the back end to see if any one had been trespassing, and finding my trap had gaffled it.

意味（5）

To swindle or bully (someone)

In other words , you know the trouble around here — and this is pertinent , too — that there have been too many committees in which the minority has allowed itself to be gaffled into submission and silence.

意味（6）

To talk without a purpose, usually about inane or pointless topics; to babble.

So I commenced to yell, And old man Pease he hugged his knees and gaffled to his pail.