dab
1to pat or tap gently, as with something soft or moist: The child dabbed his eyes with the handkerchief.
to apply (a substance) by light strokes: He dabbed the ointment on the rash.
to strike, especially lightly, as with the hand.
to consume (cannabis) by inhaling the vapor of heated cannabis extract oil.
Masonry. to dress (stonework) with a pointed tool.
Western U.S. to throw (a rope or line) in an effort to lasso or catch something: Joe dabbed his rope on the steer.
to strike lightly; make a dab; pat: She dabbed at the stain on her dress.
to consume cannabis by inhaling the vapor of heated cannabis extract oil. She dabs for a more intense high.
a quick or light blow; a pat, as with the hand or something soft.
a small moist lump or mass: a dab of butter.
a small quantity: a dab of powder.
a dose of cannabis extract oil.
a dance move that involves posing with one’s nose in the crook of a bent elbow at chest level while extending the other arm to the side at or above shoulder level, often performed as a celebratory posture in sports or other competitions.
Origin of dab
1Other words for dab
Words Nearby dab
Other definitions for dab (2 of 4)
any of several flatfishes of the genus Limanda, especially the European flatfish, L. limanda.
Origin of dab
2Other definitions for dab (3 of 4)
Also called dab hand . a person skilled in something; an expert.
an excellent or extraordinary person or thing.
Origin of dab
3Other definitions for DAB (4 of 4)
Dictionary of American Biography.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use dab in a sentence
While Paul Cézanne considered himself an Impressionist, he worked differently, his dabs emphasizing form as well as color, saying that he wanted to create pictures more “solid” than his Impressionist brethren were achieving.
An art lover’s Impressionist video trip to Provence and the Riviera | Nancy Nathan | February 5, 2021 | Washington PostDry cleaning materials could damage the upholstery and affect the comfort level, and aside from dabbing it with mild soap and water and letting it air dry completely to remove stains, vacuuming is the only recommended form of cleaning.
Best memory foam mattress: Sleep better on one of these picks | PopSci Commerce Team | January 25, 2021 | Popular-ScienceBrits lost a dab of tax revenue and some pride, but at this point the country’s financial district is well intact.
London lost a chunk of European stock trading this week. What will it lose next? | John Detrixhe | January 9, 2021 | QuartzMitsubishi Cement Company wants to build a new warehouse and hauling facility along the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal, which is smack dab in the middle of one of the environmental justice zones established under a 2017 state law.
Morning Report: Real Estate Deals Dogged Faulconer’s Tenure | Voice of San Diego | December 10, 2020 | Voice of San DiegoCarol Chapin, vice president of research and development for Simple Green, which makes cleaning solutions, suggested wetting a cotton ball with acetone nail polish remover and dabbing that on the pitch to soften and remove it.
Need to remove sap from asphalt? Get out the hand sanitizer. | Jeanne Huber | November 30, 2020 | Washington Post
On the first day of shooting, Kallai and his film crew found themselves smack-dab in the middle of a war zone.
Trans in the Holy Land: ‘Marzipan Flowers,’ Tal Kallai, and the Shattering of Israel’s LGBT Taboos | Itay Hod | November 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTdab says the truth—however frightening it may be—ultimately will keep people calm.
Now, they are smack dab in the middle of a GOP primary in Mississippi.
The first U.S. case of MERS landed in Indiana—smack-dab in the heartland.
Is Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) the Next SARS? | Dr. Anand Veeravagu, MD, Tej Azad | May 3, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTRecently, at a pot-centered radio program, someone offered me a “dab” of butane honey oil (BHO)—a concentrated form of cannabis.
Hey Buddy, Wanna Dab? Inside The Mainstream Explosion of Cannabis Concentrates | Valerie Vande Panne | December 21, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTI had nearly a whole bag of cement left over from my dab at orchard renovation, and there were plenty of packing-boxes.
The Idyl of Twin Fires | Walter Prichard EatonI took out the plug and shook out the little dab of quicksilver, and set my teeth in.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Complete | Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)On one cheek he had a dab of jelly and his hand and shirt front were covered with broth.
The Rover Boys on the Farm | Arthur M. Winfield (AKA Edward Stratemeyer)“I dab fuss,” cried Pompey, and he swam on to soon reach one of the boughs, and turn round to wait for me.
Mass' George | George Manville FennCaptain Wass showed a resolve to quit pecking at the edges and make a dab at the center of the subject.
Blow The Man Down | Holman Day
British Dictionary definitions for dab (1 of 4)
/ (dæb) /
to touch lightly and quickly
(tr) to daub with short tapping strokes: to dab the wall with paint
(tr) to apply (paint, cream, etc) with short tapping strokes
a small amount, esp of something soft or moist: a dab of ink
a small light stroke or tap, as with the hand
(often plural) mainly British a slang word for fingerprint
Origin of dab
1British Dictionary definitions for dab (2 of 4)
/ (dæb) /
a small common European brown flatfish, Limanda limanda, covered with rough toothed scales: family Pleuronectidae: a food fish
(often plural) any of various other small flatfish, esp flounders: Compare sand dab
Also called: patiki a sand flounder, Rhombosolea plebia, common around New Zealand's South Island
Origin of dab
2British Dictionary definitions for dab (3 of 4)
/ (dæb) /
British informal See dab hand
Origin of dab
3British Dictionary definitions for DAB (4 of 4)
digital audio broadcasting
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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