rabbet
Americannoun
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a deep notch formed in or near one edge of a board, framing timber, etc., so that something else can be fitted into it or so that a door or the like can be closed against it.
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a broad groove let into the surface of a board or the like; dado.
verb (used with object)
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to cut a rabbet in (a board or the like).
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to join (boards or the like) by means of a rabbet or rabbets.
verb (used without object)
noun
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a recess, groove, or step, usually of rectangular section, cut into a surface or along the edge of a piece of timber to receive a mating piece
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a joint made between two pieces of timber using a rabbet
verb
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to cut or form a rabbet in (timber)
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to join (pieces of timber) using a rabbet
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of rabbet
1350–1400; Middle English rabet < Old French rabat, derivative of rabattre to beat back, beat down; see rebate 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Letting one piece of timber into another with a rabbet to give additional strength or finish.
From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir
The rabbet should therefore be plowed before the joint is made.
From Handwork in Wood by Noyes, William
The following is the performance at draught of water 2 feet above rabbet of keel: Boiler pressure 90 lb.
From Scientific American Supplement, No. 484, April 11, 1885 by Various
Also unintentional, but pleasing, is the distinctive throat of the rabbet plane—a design that developed to permit easy discharge of shavings, and one that mass manufacture did not destroy.
From Woodworking Tools 1600-1900 by Welsh, Peter C.
Set the fence and the stop at the desired width and depth of the rabbet.
From Handwork in Wood by Noyes, William
The front edges are rounded while the back edges are rabbeted on the inside as deep as the backing to be used.
From Mission Furniture How to Make It, Part 2 by Windsor, H. H. (Henry Haven)
In a mortise-and-tenon joint on rabbeted pieces, Fig.
From Handwork in Wood by Noyes, William
The first range of planks laid upon a ship's bottom, next the keel, into which it is rabbeted, and into the stem and stern-post at the ends.
From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir
The end rails should be cut to length and their tenons worked after one edge of each has been rabbeted as were the posts.
From Mission Furniture How to Make It, Part 2 by Windsor, H. H. (Henry Haven)
Some are particularly strong, as those in the hold, which are mostly built with rabbeted or cyphered plank; others are light, and removable at pleasure.
From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir
"All you need is one reasonably respectable wife," says Public Relations Wizard Gig Young, rabbeting in a plot gimmick designed to keep a flapdoodle comedy from collapsing in the first reel.
From Time Magazine Archive
The pieces by which this complicated machine is framed, are joined together in various places by scarfing, rabbeting, tenanting, and scoring.
From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir
Also, without the rabbeting water may get under the cap, and pass along the top till a hole lets it among the bees.
From Mysteries of Bee-keeping Explained by Quinby, M. (Moses)
Fillister, fil′is-ter, n. a rabbeting plane used in making window-sashes.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various
For rabbeting and fillister work the upper holes q are used, while using ploughs the lower ones are brought into requisition.
From Modern Machine-Shop Practice, Volumes I and II by Rose, Joshua
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
