hab or nab

adverb

Win or lose; however things turn out, in any case.

First used 16th–19th c.
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Meanings

adverb
  1. obsoleteWin or lose; however things turn out, in any case.First known use 16th–19th c.

    But hab or nab [translating à toutes adventures] we can never take too much advantage of it.

    , II.6

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
alwaysregardless

Origin

Probably representing a present subjunctive and a negative form of have. Compare Old English hæbbe, næbbe, and the negative particle ne.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

hab or nab. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hab%20or%20nab

MLA

“hab or nab.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hab%20or%20nab. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hab or nab,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hab%20or%20nab.

Source: hab or nab on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.