dab

adj

Etymology: Back slang for bad.

1. Bad.

   “Business topics are discussed in a most peculiar style. One man takes the pipe from his mouth and says, "Bill made a doogheno hit this morning." "Jem," says another, to a man just entering, "you'll stand a top o' reeb?" "On," answers Jem, "I've had a trosseno tol, and have been doing dab."”

   “One afternoon, arriving at his stall later than usual, I said, almost unknowingly, 'A doogheno or a dabheno?' Jo, who had often chaffed me for my awkward mimicking of coster language, didn't even look up from peeling his apple. 'Dab,' he said, with a little shake of his head.”

adv

Etymology: From Middle English dabben (“to strike”), probably of North Germanic origin, related to Old Icelandic dabba (“to tap, slap”), perhaps ultimately imitative. Compare also with Middle Dutch dabben (“to pinch, knead, fumble, dabble”) (Dutch dabben (“(of a horse) to stamp with the forelegs”)), Dutch deppen (“to dab”), possibly German tappen (“to fumble, grope”). The noun is from Middle English dabbe (“a strike, blow”), from the verb. Related to tap. Compare also drub, dub. African-American sense of “playful box” perhaps influenced by dap (“fistbump”).

1. With a dab, or sudden contact.

name

1. Initialism of Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong (a pro-Beijing political party in the HKSAR).

noun

1. Initialism of digital audio broadcasting.

verb

Etymology: From Middle English dabben (“to strike”), probably of North Germanic origin, related to Old Icelandic dabba (“to tap, slap”), perhaps ultimately imitative. Compare also with Middle Dutch dabben (“to pinch, knead, fumble, dabble”) (Dutch dabben (“(of a horse) to stamp with the forelegs”)), Dutch deppen (“to dab”), possibly German tappen (“to fumble, grope”). The noun is from Middle English dabbe (“a strike, blow”), from the verb. Related to tap. Compare also drub, dub. African-American sense of “playful box” perhaps influenced by dap (“fistbump”).

1. To press lightly in a repetitive motion with a soft object without rubbing.

   “I dabbed my face with a towel.”

   “Dab the tears from your eyes.”

2. To apply a substance in this way.

   “The nurse will dab some ointment on that gash.”

3. To strike by a thrust; to hit with a sudden blow or thrust.

   “1532-1533, Thomas More, The Confutation of Tyndale's Answer to dabbe him in the necke”

   “Breach hit a line, Zoe Harrison dabbed a kick in behind and Abby Dow chased like fury.”

4. To apply hash oil to a heated surface for the purpose of efficient combustion.
5. To perform the dab dance move; to move both arms, parallel with one's head, to either side of the body.

   “Look, my bruddas don't dab, we just vossi bop”

6. Synonym of daub (to mark a bingo card)