dibs

Meanings

1. 1nounpluralslang

   A claim to be first to have or use something, spoken out loud to beat other people to it.

   Grammar: Takes a plural verb and usually follows call or have: call dibs.

   Patterns

   • call dibs on something
   • have dibs on something

   I call dibs on the front seat!

   My sister has dibs on the last slice of pizza.

   They had dibs on the window table before we arrived.

2. 2nounpluralinformal

   The right to have the first choice or first turn.

   Grammar: Often used in first dibs.

   Patterns

   • first dibs on something

   Since she was oldest, she got first dibs on the bedrooms.

   The early customers get first dibs on the new stock.

   He gave his neighbor first dibs on the used bike.

Common combinations

call dibs

The twins call dibs on the top bunk every time.

first dibs

As the host, he got first dibs on the leftover cake.

have dibs on

I have dibs on that book when you're done.

dibs on the last piece

Dibs on the last piece of pie!

put dibs on

She put dibs on the corner desk.

Synonyms and how they differ

first refusal

First refusal is a formal right to buy before others, whereas dibs is a casual spoken claim among friends.

shotgun

Shotgun is used almost only for claiming the front passenger seat, while dibs works for any item.

priority

Priority is a general, formal word for the right to go first, and it has no playful tone.

claim

Claim is neutral and works in writing, but dibs is shouted in play and is informal.

Word family

first dibs phrase

the right to choose first

dibs interjection

shouted to claim something at once

Commonly confused: dibs or dips?

Practice

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