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”).
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”).
Meanings
A soft tap or blow; a blow or peck from a bird's beak; an aimed blow.
I promise you nothing,' said the dolls' dressmaker, dabbing two dabs at him with her needle, as if she put out both his eyes. 1865, Charles Dickens, Our Mutual Friend:
Then the minute feet made feeble dabs, or stabs, at the atmosphere; the tiny fists doubled themselves and wandered to and fro as if in search of the enemy. 1917, Robert Hichens, In the Wilderness:
“It was the most absurd kiss. I don't believe he'd ever kissed a woman in his life before. I threw my head back, and it was a sort of slidy, pecking dab, just on the end of the chin — here.” Mrs. Hauksbee tapped her masculine little chin with her fan. 1889, Rudyard Kipling, “The Education of Otis Yeere”, in Under the Deodars, Boston: The Greenock Press, published 1899, page 42:
(qualifier:African-American Vernacular) A soft, playful box given in greeting or approval.
The men gave each other dabs and another bear hug. 2010, Adrianne Byrd, Body Heat, page 177:
She gave a few more dabs to his buttocks. “There. By the time you've made love to me those weals will have dried up.” 2006, Greta X, Angela Pearson, Whipsdom, page 75:
I step closer to Profit and draw in a deep, steadying breath while the brothers exchange dabs. “What's up, fam? I see you finally made it.” 2010, De'nesha Diamond, Hustlin' Divas, page 197:
A small amount, a blob of some soft or wet substance.
a dab of glue
(slang) A small amount, a blob of some soft or wet substance. ▸ A small amount of hash oil.
(UK, dated, in-plural) Fingerprint.
One had Glash's dabs on it and a half-inch of Macallan at the bottom. 2022, Liam McIlvanney, The Heretic, page 132:
A hip hop dance move in which the dancer simultaneously drops the head while raising an arm, briefly resting their face in the elbow, as if sneezing into their elbow.
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”).
Meanings
(transitive) To press lightly in a repetitive motion with a soft object without rubbing.
Dab the tears from your eyes.
I dabbed my face with a towel.
(transitive) To apply a substance in this way.
The nurse will dab some ointment on that gash.
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. 2025 August 22, Mike Henson, “England open World Cup with 11-try win over USA”, in BBC Sport:
(slang) To apply hash oil to a heated surface for the purpose of efficient combustion.
(intransitive) 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 2019, Stormzy, “Vossi Bop”:
Unknown. First use in print was in 1691, in The Athenian Mercury; it is also found in the Dictionary of the Canting Crew of 1698; see quotations for both. Originally used in the cant of criminals, and later in school slang. It may be a profound alteration of adept, likely from deliberate slangy usage thereof (rather than natural sound-change), which if true would give such earlier forms as *adep (or *dept) > *dep > *deb.
Meanings
One who is skilful or proficient; an expert; an adept.
I hope he will like my answer; it is as good a one as I can write though nothing to his; Indeed I had always heard what a dab he was at a Love-letter. 1790, Jane Austen, “A Collection of Letters”, in Love and Freindship ^([sic]) (manuscript), page 149; first published in J. R. Sanders, Love & Freindship and Other Early Works, New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1922:
for little Urchin as he is, he‘s ſuch a Dab at his Bow and Arrows‘ that ne‘re a Finsbury Archer of ‘em all can pretend to come near him. 1691, John Dunton, editor, The Athenian Mercury, volume 4, number 3, London, Queſt[ion] 8, page 2, column 2:
“[…]’S’pose they’re ridin’ Vidley’s ponies?”
“De Vitré’s sure to be. He’s a dab on a horse.[…]” 1898 December 14, Rudyard Kipling, “"Stalky"”, in Windsor Magazine:
Dab, c. expert exquiſite in Roguery a Rumdab, c. a very Dextrous fellow at fileing , thieving, Cheating, Sharping, sc. Heii a Dab at it, He is well vers'd in it. c. 1698, B. E., compiler, A New Dictionary of the Terms Ancient and Modern of the Canting Crew, London: W. Hawes, DA, page 53, column 1:
One excels at a plan or the title page, another works away at the body of the book, and the third is a dab at an index. 1869 [1759], David Mather Masson, The Miscellaneous Works of Oliver Goldsmith, The Globe Edition, London: Macmillan & Co., reprint of The Bee: A Select Collection of Essays on The Most Interesting and Entertaining Subjects by Oliver Goldsmith, page 353:
el λιμάνδη η κοινή (flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae) · ga daba (flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae) · fo áarskrubba (flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae) · cmn 比目魚 /比目鱼 (flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae) · ca limanda (flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae) · sco sautie (flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae) · gl mendo (flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae) · cmn 黃蓋鰈 /黄盖鲽 (flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae) · bg писия (flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae) · nrf cat (flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae)
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." 1851, Henry Mayhew, “Habits and Amusements of Costermongers”, in London Labour and the London Poor, volume 1, page 11:
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. 2012, Anthony Quinn, The Streets, →ISBN, page 33: