dab

views updated

dab1 / dab/ • v. (dabbed , dab·bing ) [tr.] 1. press against (something) lightly with absorbent material in order to clean or dry it: he dabbed his mouth with his napkin | [intr.] she dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. ∎  apply (a substance) with light quick strokes. 2. aim at or strike with a light blow.• n. a small amount of something: she licked a dab of chocolate from her finger. ∎  a brief application of cosmetic, paint, or the like to a surface: apply concealer with light dabs. dab2 • n. a small flatfish (Limanda and other genera, family Pleuronectidae, and genus Citharichthys, family Bothidae), found chiefly in the North Atlantic.

More From encyclopedia.com