daub

American  

[dawb] / dɔb /

verb (used with object)

daubs, present (3rd person singular) daubed, past participle, past daubing present participle

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)

daubs, present (3rd person singular) daubed, past participle, past daubing present participle

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

Derived Forms

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

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has daubed
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have daubed
  perfect
• am daubing
  progressive 1st person singular
• has been daubing
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• are daubing
  progressive
• daubing
  participle
• is daubing
  progressive 3rd person singular
• have been daubing
  perfect progressive
• daubs
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had daubed
  perfect
• were daubing
  progressive plural
• was daubing
  progressive singular
• had been daubing
  perfect progressive
• daubed
  simple
• daubed
  participle

Future

• will daub
  simple
• will have daubed
  perfect
• will have been daubing
  perfect progressive
• will be daubing
  progressive

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

“Other than his physical location, it’s actually not that connected to us for once,” Daub said.

From Washington Post • Mar. 4, 2023

A note left by Deborah Daub makes reference to an unspecified "evil that has mounted against Morgan and the family."

From Salon • Feb. 8, 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

Through the influence of Prof. Daub he was led to an interest in the then predominant philosophy of Hegel and, in spite of his father’s opposition, went to Berlin to study under the master himself.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 3 "Fenton, Edward" to "Finistere" by Various

Related Words

• dab
• deface
• smear
• smudge
• spatter