noun / verb
ebb
EBB/ˈɛb/
The outward retreat of the tide.
As the tide ebbs, more sand and rock become exposed.
Etymology
Old English ebbian described flowing back or subsiding. The retreat of the tide supplies the image for gradual decline: something diminishes as the water draws away.
In context
“And why has he not travelled further on his appointed road? The answer is a melancholy one. He has doubled back upon his own high water mark; his tides actually ebb rather than flow.
More examples
- The ebb carries floating seaweed away from shore.
- The tide ebbed while we walked along the beach.
- An ebbing tide leaves shallow pools among the rocks.
Forms
ebb · ebbs · ebbed · ebbing