Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a worn-out horse, an uncooperative horse.

1827		Pierce Egan’s Life in London 13 May 958/2: ‘I had two terrible jibs to drive that day,—one of ’em were a desperate kicker, and it were as much as I could do to manage them’.
1832		Egan Bk of Sports 17: Crib-biters, roarers, jibbers and Rosinantes of all descriptions.
1858		A. Mayhew Paved with Gold 220: There were kickers, and jibbers, and bolters.
1861		(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor I 181/2: Young horses that will not work in cabs – such as ‘jibs’ – are sold to the horse-slaughterers as useless.
1867		J. Greenwood Unsentimental Journeys 197: ‘Kickers,’ ‘roarers,’ ‘jibbers;’ vixens of fierce blood, and who could do anything but behave themselves.
1876		‘Nimrod’ in Malet Annals of the Road 185: [W]ith rotten tackle, and bolting horses; jibbers, and millers [...] high blowers, and queer ones.
1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 31 Mar. Red Page/3: Our ’bus-driver had a jibber in t’other day, and there was the usual halt. After vain flogging, Tim, the driver, fervently ejaculated – ‘O you cow!’.
1901		F.J. Gillen Diary (1968) 5: We must get some staunch heavy horses, the six hired from Maronsen are rank jibs.
1906		Morwell Advertiser (Vic.) 21 Dec. 2s/1: The Jibber’s a daisy. / She’d beat ’em all aisy.
1914		Sport (Adelaide) 7 Aug. 4/6: Screw R. has sold the chestnut jib .
1923–4		F. Anthony ‘Gus Buys a Horse’ in Me And Gus (1977) 18: Gus said the horse was an out-and-out jibber.
1941		K. Tennant Battlers 27: Snow knew the sulky and horse had cost Ricky Smith nothing, that the horse was a jib, and the sulky falling to pieces.
1957		J. Greenway ‘Australian Cattle Lingo’ in AS XXXIII:3 166: jib, n. A stubborn horse.
1964		J.A. Lee Shiner Slattery 9: Many a good horse, overburdened, became a jibber.

2. (orig. Irish) in fig. ext. of sense 1, a coward.

1903		A. Binstead Pitcher in Paradise 96: If I had a run o’ bad luck I should have to stand down, but your sire never get a jibber, I’ll swear!
1919		J. Buchan Mr Standfast (1930) 713: You keep your mind on the game and forget about yourself. That’s the cure for jibbers.
1961		T. Murphy Whistle in the Dark Act I: Let no one say there was ever a jibber in our family!
1987		L. Redmond Emerald Square 240: ‘Never say your mother reared a Jibber,’ the Liberties axiom I was to live by for the balance of my life.
1991		B. Quinn Smokey Hollow 64: Granda Hope caught her in his arms, swung her around and cried, ‘I never reared a jibber.’.
2001		G. Coughlan Everyday Eng. and Sl. 🌐 Jibber (n): person afraid to try new things.