dab hand

Meaning

1. 1nouncountableinformalBritish

   A person who is very skilled and practiced at a particular activity, especially a practical or everyday one.

   Grammar: Almost always used with a: she is a dab hand at it, not 'she is dab hand'.

   Patterns

   • be a dab hand at something
   • be a dab hand at doing something

   My grandmother is a dab hand at knitting and finishes a scarf in an evening.

   He's a dab hand at fixing bikes, so we always ask him first.

   After years of cooking for a big family, Priya is a real dab hand with a pressure cooker.

Word forms

Common combinations

a dab hand at cooking

Tom is a dab hand at cooking pasta from scratch.

a dab hand with a paintbrush

She's a dab hand with a paintbrush and redecorated the hall in a weekend.

quite a dab hand

You've become quite a dab hand at changing nappies.

a real dab hand

He's a real dab hand when it comes to fixing leaks.

become a dab hand

You will soon become a dab hand at using the new software.

Synonyms and how they differ

expert

Expert is stronger and more formal, and it can describe deep professional knowledge, while dab hand suggests friendly, practical know-how.

old hand

An old hand has gained skill through long experience, but a dab hand may simply be naturally good at something.

whiz

A whiz is an American, more energetic word that suggests quick brilliance rather than steady practical skill.

pro

Pro is more casual and suggests near-professional standard, whereas dab hand is warmer and usually applies to homely tasks.

Opposites

Word family

dab verb

to touch something lightly and quickly

hand noun

here, a person with a particular skill

old hand noun

someone with plenty of experience

Commonly confused: dab hand or dab?

Practice

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