Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to talk, to chatter, esp. at length and without meaning; thus jibbing n.

1861		R.F. Burton City of the Saints 205: A Mormon lad [...] had been trained to go in a ‘sorter’ jibbing and somewhat uncomfortable ‘argufying,’ ‘highfalutin’’ way.
1894		J. Astley Fifty Years (2nd edn) I 350: After some jibbing, he too consented.
1905		‘Doss Chiderdoss’ ‘They Begged To Differ’ Sporting Times 15 Apr. 1/3: When his hints were not polite, / The lady jibbed, as was but right; / The soft impeachment she’d not bite, / But haughtily ignored the slight, / And said, ‘I beg to differ!’.
1914		Truth (Melbourne) 31 Jan. 5/6: But, if he do jib upon it, / Then he starts to pray a lot.
1919		J. Buchan Mr Standfast (1930) 492: The British working-man [...] grumbles a bit and jibs a bit when he thinks the Government are giving him a crooked deal, but he’s gotten the patience of Job and the sand of a gamecock.
1929		Hostetter & Beesley It’s a Racket! 229: jib — To joke; frivolous conversation.
1980		E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 44: Jibbin’ too damn much! Cons’anly talkin’ ’bout nuthin’.
1995		L. Stavsky et al. A2Z.

2. to complain, to argue [SE jib, of a horse, to refuse to move].

1869		H. Smart Breezie Langton I 83: ‘There’s the original tenner I offered you; no jibbing now’.
1870		Sportsman (London) 4 Jan. 2/2: [T]these worthy matrons of course denied the charge, and attributed ‘jibbing’ propensities to their progeny.
1901		Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 10 July 2/5: The Case of the Woman who Kicked [...] Anyhow, ‘Rebellious Susie’ jibbed; she wasn’t going to be squared.
1908		Leigh & Powell [perf. Marie Lloyd] Rum-tiddley-um-tum-tay! 🎵 Treated some to beer, / Did they jib? No fear!
1922		May & Martyn [perf. Sam Mayo] ‘Are yer goin' to have one?’ 🎵 You mustn't jib, you've only just began [i.e. to drink].
1934		C. Drew ‘Algy’ in Bulletin 8 Aug. 49/2: Every time I tried to introdooce a wallop that wasn’t firmly screwed into the rules, he jibbed.
1959		J. Gosling Ghost Squad 153: When the mug jibbed, Bernstein threatened to call the police.
1996		J. Byrell Lairs, Urgers & Coat-Tuggers 262: At first the Bathurst grazier and racing ‘case’ E.A. Haley had jibbed at the size of the colt and that badly concaved back.
2015		L. McInerney Glorious Heresies 269: Tony barely jibbed. His son gave him a roll of notes. He closed his hands around the gift.