dabble

American  

[dab-uhl] / ˈdæb əl /

verb (used without object)

dabbled, dabbling

1. to play and splash in or as if in water, especially with the hands.

2. to work at anything in an irregular or superficial manner.

   to dabble in literature.

   Synonyms:

   dally, toy, fiddle, putter

3. (of a duck) to feed on shallow-water vegetation with rapid, splashing movements of the bill.

---

verb (used with object)

dabbled, dabbling

1. to wet slightly in or with a liquid; splash; spatter.

2. Chiefly South Midland U.S. to wash or rinse off lightly.

dabble British  

/ ˈdæbəl /

verb

1. to dip, move, or splash (the fingers, feet, etc) in a liquid

2. (intr; usually foll by in, with, or at) to deal (with) or work (at) frivolously or superficially; play (at)

3. (tr) to daub, mottle, splash, or smear

   his face was dabbled with paint

---

Other Word Forms

• dabbler
  noun
• dabblingly
  adverb
• undabbled
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of dabble

1550–60; probably dab ¹ + -le; compare Dutch dabbelen, dabben

Explanation

You dabble when you are a little bit involved in an activity, such as an art form or a hobby. Maybe you only dabble in mystery novels, but you are very knowledgeable about comic books. The word dabble can also often relate to water. It can mean “to splash playfully,” or “to get just a little wet.” A bird can also dabble in water by dipping its bill into it. Each of these meanings of dabble is often followed by the word in. For example, a duck may dabble in the water (and then dribble a few drops afterward from its bill), and you may dabble in shrubbery art.

Example Sentences

You can find tips and ideas at I Like To Dabble, which is a great website to check out for side hustling.

From Slate • Dec. 7, 2021

In 2013, for the work Rebel Dabble Babble, McCarthy built two derelict houses in a dark, grim New York warehouse.

From The Guardian • Aug. 4, 2020

Few artists today are making installations as shocking or ambitious as Rebel Dabble Babble.

From The Guardian • Aug. 4, 2020

Drivers Who Dabble : The largest group at 36 percent of residents, these are frequent drivers who will occasionally use Metro or try others modes but eventually return to their cars.

From Washington Post • Jul. 11, 2019

The officers worked the Operation Dabble job in shifts.

From Underground by Dreyfus, Suelette