Lexic.us

Definition of Dabble

1. Verb. Dip a foot or hand briefly into a liquid.

2. Verb. Play in or as if in water, as of small children.

3. Verb. Work with in an amateurish manner. "He plays around with investments but he never makes any money"

4. Verb. Bob forward and under so as to feed off the bottom of a body of water. "Dabbling ducks"

Definition of Dabble

1. v. t. To wet by little dips or strokes; to spatter; to sprinkle; to moisten; to wet.

2. v. i. To play in water, as with the hands; to paddle or splash in mud or water.

Definition of Dabble

1. Verb. (transitive) To partially wet (something) by splashing or dipping; connotes playfulness. ¹

2. Verb. (intransitive) To participate or have an interest in, but not so seriously. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Dabble

1. to splash [v -BLED, -BLING, -BLES] - See also: splash

Medical Definition of Dabble

1. To wet by little dips or strokes; to spatter; to sprinkle; to moisten; to wet. "Bright hair dabbled in blood." Origin: Freq. Of dab: cf. OD. Dabbelen. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Dabble

dabb dabb lizard dabb lizards dabbawala dabbawalas dabbawalla dabbawallah dabbawallahs dabbawallas dabbed

dabber dabbers dabbing dabbities dabbity dabble (current term) dabbled dabbler dabblers dabbles

dabbling dabbling duck dabbling ducks dabblings dabchick dabchicks dabigatran daboia daboias dabs

Literary usage of Dabble

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. An Etymological Dictionary of the English Language by Walter William Skeat (1893)
"^f From the G. tappen we have F. taper, and E. tap. Hence dab and tap are doublets. See Tap. Der. dab, sb. See dabble. DAB (i), to strike gently. ..."

2. A Dictionary of English Etymology by Hensleigh Wedgwood (1872)
"... to dabble, splash. E. splotch, a splash of dirt ; splitter-splatter, splashy dirt.—HaL Spleen.—Splenetic. Gr. <тт\пг, Lat splen. To Splice. ..."

3. The Encyclopaedia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and General by Thomas Spencer Baynes (1888)
"... is insane, and is just the absurd conduct to be expected from people who dabble in the vanities of astronomy." We need not be too curious to inquire how ..."

4. The Friends' Library: Comprising Journals, Doctrinal Treatises, & Other by William Evans, Thomas Evans, Edith R. Hall (1843)
"... dabble in the water, or frolic on the sand. I mean to say that things have this appearance; and that according to our notions, their habits are ..."

Other Resources: