dab

dab
1.
v. & n.
—v. (dabbed, dabbing)
1 tr. press (a surface) briefly with a cloth, sponge, etc., without rubbing, esp. in cleaning or to apply a substance.
2 tr. press (a sponge etc.) lightly on a surface.
3 tr. (foll. by on) apply (a substance) by dabbing a surface.
4 intr. (usu. foll. by at) aim a feeble blow; tap.
5 tr. strike lightly; tap.
—n.
1 a brief application of a cloth, sponge, etc., to a surface without rubbing.
2 a small amount of something applied in this way (a dab of paint).
3 a light blow or tap.
4 (in pl.) Brit. sl. fingerprints.
Derivatives:
dabber n.
Etymology: ME, imit.
2.
n. any flat-fish of the genus Limanda.
Etymology: 15th c.: orig. unkn.
3.
adj. esp. Brit. colloq.
Phrases and idioms:
dab hand (usu. foll. by at) a person especially skilled (in) (a dab hand at cooking).
Etymology: 17th c.: orig. unkn.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • dab — dab …   Dictionnaire des rimes

  • Dąb — Dąb …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • DAB — 〈Abk. für〉 Deutsches Arzneibuch * * * Dab: Symbol für ↑ Diaminobuttersäure in Peptidformeln. * * * DAB [de:|a: be:] = Deutsches Arzneibuch. * * * I DAB,   Digital Audio Broadcasting …   Universal-Lexikon

  • dab — dab1 [dab] vt., vi. dabbed, dabbing [ME dabben, to strike, akin to MDu dabben & Norw dabba < ? IE base * dhabh , to strike] 1. to touch or stroke lightly and quickly 2. to pat with something soft or moist 3. to put on (paint, etc.) with light …   English World dictionary

  • DAB B&B — (Рим,Италия) Категория отеля: Адрес: Via Sicilia 235, Виа Венето, 00187 Рим, Италия …   Каталог отелей

  • dab — (v.) c.1300, dabben to strike, of unknown origin, perhaps imitative. Modern sense of strike with a slight, quick pressure developed by mid 16c., influenced by Fr. dauber (see DAUB (Cf. daub)). Related: Dabbed; dabbing. As a noun from c.1300,… …   Etymology dictionary

  • dąb — I {{/stl 13}}{{stl 8}}rz. mnż I, D. dębu, Mc. dębie {{/stl 8}}{{stl 7}} długowieczne drzewo liściaste o grubym pniu i rozłożystych konarach, licznych drobnych owocach zwanych żołędziami, rosnące w umiarkowanej i podzwrotnikowej strefie półkuli… …   Langenscheidt Polski wyjaśnień

  • Dab — Dab, n. [Perh. so named from its quickness in diving beneath the sand. Cf. {Dabchick}.] (Zo[ o]l.) A name given to several species of flounders, esp. to the European species, {Pleuronectes limanda}. The American rough dab is {Hippoglossoides… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Dab — (d[a^]b), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Dabbed} (d[a^]bd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Dabbing}.] [OE. dabben to strice; akin to OD. dabben to pinch, knead, fumble, dabble, and perh. to G. tappen to grope.] 1. To strike or touch gently, as with a soft or moist… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Dab — Dab, n. 1. A gentle blow with the hand or some soft substance; a sudden blow or hit; a peck. [1913 Webster] A scratch of her claw, a dab of her beak. Hawthorne. [1913 Webster] 2. A small mass of anything soft or moist. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Dab — (d[a^]b), n. [Perh. corrupted fr. adept.] A skillful hand; a dabster; an expert. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster] One excels at a plan or the titlepage, another works away at the body of the book, and the third is a dab at an index. Goldsmith. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”