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Meaning & use

dab

noun, verb·Everyday

Last updated

UK/dæb/
US/dæb/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A small amount of something soft or wet, such as paint, butter or perfume.

    Grammar: Usually a dab of something.

    Patterns

    • a dab of something

    Add a dab of butter to the potatoes.

    She put a dab of perfume behind each ear.

    A dab of paint covered the scratch.

  2. nouncountable

    A quick, light touch with something soft, such as a cloth.

    Grammar: Often a quick dab.

    Patterns

    • a dab at something

    He gave his eyes a quick dab with a tissue.

    A gentle dab was enough to clean the cut.

    She made a dab at the spill with a napkin.

  3. nouncountableinformalslang

    A dance move in which you drop your head into the bent crook of your elbow while stretching the other arm out.

    Grammar: Informal and often used with do or hit: do a dab.

    Patterns

    • hit a dab

    The footballer celebrated with a dab.

    The kids practiced the dab in the playground.

    Everyone started doing the dab at the party.

  4. verbtransitive or intransitive

    To touch something gently and quickly, or to put a small amount of something on a surface with light taps.

    Grammar: Takes an object or a preposition: dab your eyes; dab at the stain.

    Patterns

    • dab something on
    • dab at something
    • dab something with something

    She dabbed her eyes with a tissue.

    He dabbed some cream on the rash.

    Dab at the stain; don't rub it.

Word forms

pluraldabs
third person singulardabs
past tensedabbed
past participledabbed
-ing formdabbing

Common combinations

a dab of paint
A dab of paint hid the mark on the wall.
a dab of glue
A dab of glue fixed the handle.
dab your eyes
She dabbed her eyes and smiled.
dab on
Dab on some lotion.
a quick dab
A quick dab cleaned the spill.

Synonyms and how they differ

dollop
A dollop is a larger, heavier blob, while a dab is a smaller touch.
pat
Pat means a gentle flat tap with the hand, and does not stress wiping or applying.
blot
Blot means pressing to soak up liquid, whereas dab can also apply something.
smear
Smear means spreading a substance messily, which is the opposite of the neat, light dab.

Opposites

rubscrub

Word family

dabber noun
A pad or tool used for dabbing.
dabbing noun
The act of touching lightly.
dabble verb
To take part in something casually; a different but related word.

Commonly confused: dab or dub? dab or dabble?

dab vs dub

Dub means to give a name or replace a voice in a film, and has no touching sense.

dab vs dabble

Dabble means to try something without commitment, unlike dab.

Practice

To treat a stain gently without spreading it, you should ___ it with a cloth.

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