dabble

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈdæb.əl/ UK /ˈdæb.əl/ See IPA manual

Freq #26658

Meanings

1

verb
to take part in an activity casually or without serious commitment

She likes to dabble in photography on weekends.
2

verb
to move the hands, feet, or bill about playfully in shallow water

The children sat on the bank and dabbled their feet in the stream.
3

verb
literary: to wet, splash, or stain something with liquid

His silver hair was dabbled with blood after the attack.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to take part in an activity... experiment tinker potter

2 verb · to move the hands, feet, or... paddle splash

3 verb · literary: to wet, splash,... splash stain spatter

Opposites

specialize commit

Word family

Forms dabbleddabbles

Derived forms dabblerdabblingbedabble

Related forms dab dilettante

Etymology

From earlier dable, probably a frequentative formation related to dab and perhaps influenced by Middle Dutch dabbelen, meaning to fumble, knead, or splash. The literal water sense preceded the figurative idea of engaging only superficially.

Topics

Actions & Processes Register & Style

External links

# dabble

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈdæb.əl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈdæb.əl/
**Frequency rank:** 26658

## Meanings
1. to take part in an activity casually or without serious commitment
2. to move the hands, feet, or bill about playfully in shallow water
3. literary: to wet, splash, or stain something with liquid

## Examples
- She likes to dabble in photography on weekends.
- The children sat on the bank and dabbled their feet in the stream.
- His silver hair was dabbled with blood after the attack.

## Synonyms
- experiment
- paddle
- splash

## Antonyms
- specialize
- commit

## Derived Forms
- dabbler
- dabbling
- bedabble

## Related Forms
- dab
- dilettante

## Etymology
From earlier dable, probably a frequentative formation related to dab and perhaps influenced by Middle Dutch dabbelen, meaning to fumble, knead, or splash. The literal water sense preceded the figurative idea of engaging only superficially.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Register & Style

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