daub

American  

[dawb] / dɔb /

verb (used with object)

1. to cover or coat with soft, adhesive matter, as plaster or mud.

   to daub a canvas with paint; to daub stone walls with mud.

2. to spread (plaster, mud, etc.) on or over something.

   to daub plaster on a brick wall.

3. to smear, soil, or defile.

4. to apply, as paint or colors, unskillfully.

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verb (used without object)

1. to daub something.

2. to paint unskillfully.

noun

1. material, especially of an inferior kind, for daubing walls.

2. something daubed on.

3. an act of daubing.

4. a crude, inartistic painting.

daub British  

/ dɔːb /

verb

1. (tr) to smear or spread (paint, mud, etc), esp carelessly

2. (tr) to cover or coat (with paint, plaster, etc) carelessly

3. to paint (a picture) clumsily or badly

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noun

1. an unskilful or crude painting

2. something daubed on, esp as a wall covering See also wattle and daub

3. a smear (of paint, mud, etc)

4. the act of daubing

Other Word Forms

• dauber
  noun
• daubingly
  adverb
• dauby
  adjective
• undaubed
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of daub

1275–1325; (v.) Middle English dauben < Anglo-French, Old French dauber to whiten, paint < Latin dealbāre, equivalent to de-, prevocalic variant of dē- de- + albāre to whiten, derivative of albus white; (noun) late Middle English, derivative of the v.

Explanation

Whenever you smear something on a surface, you are daubing. Abstract Expressionists may have been able to daub a canvas with paint and sell it for millions, but you probably wouldn’t be so lucky. Daub can be used as a verb or as a noun, and is derived from the Old French debaur which comes from the Latin dealbare “to whiten.” It is also used to describe the process of covering a surface with an adhesive substance such as plaster, mud or grease. However, in its noun form, it means a smear of something. When you are ordering "a bagel with a smear," you could impress the guy at the deli by asking for "a daub" instead.

Example Sentences

In an earlier interview with Salon, Daub argued that accusations of "cancel culture" are typically aimed at younger or lower-status people, specifically so higher-status folks don't have "to reflect on their own practices."

From Salon • Dec. 18, 2024

Adrian Daub, a Stanford professor of comparative literature and German studies and author of “What Tech Calls Thinking,” sees an encouraging sign in Stanford being only peripherally involved in the Bankman-Fried scandal.

From Washington Post • Mar. 4, 2023

Ginni Lamp first came to Washington, D.C., in the early 1980s as an aide to former Nebraska Republican Rep. Hal Daub.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 25, 2022

“Eugene Daub: Monumental” A retrospective exploring the sculptor’s process for crafting large-scale public works will be on display through Nov. 13.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 2, 2021

If you see a big carpet-bag, accompanied by a large white umbrella and a tin colour-box, you may know that Daub, A.R.A., is going to Brittany in search of subjects.

From Mr. Punch's Railway Book by Hammerton, John Alexander, Sir

Related Words

• dab
• deface
• smear
• smudge
• spatter