shable

S1H4A1B3L1E1

noun

A sabre or curved sword.

Scrabble 11

Meanings

nounshable (plural shables)

plural shables

  1. A sabre or curved sword.

    At last, the Commander struck him with a shabble on the face.

    1749, W. Crookshank, History Church of Scotland, volume II, page 22
    1 more example

    The Shable is more in use amongst the Horse, than other Bodies of Men, it is not altogether as long as the Sword; but to make amends for that, the Blade is twice so broad and edged on one side; and therefore it is more used for cutting than thrusting.

    1680, Robert Harford, English Military Discipline, Or, The Way and Method of Exercising Horse & Foot According to the Practice of this Present Time: With a Treatise of All Sorts of Arms and Engines of War, of Fire-works, Ensigns, and Other Military Instruments, Both Ancient and Modern, Enriched with Many Figures, Robert Harford at the Angel in Cornhil, near the Royal Exchange, page 12

Origin

  1. Polishszabla
  2. Hungarianszablya
  3. Italiansciabla
  4. Englishshable

Borrrowed from either Italian sciabla, Hungarian szablya or Polish szabla. Doublet of sabre.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

shable. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shable

MLA

“shable.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shable. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shable,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shable.

Source: shable on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.