dabto press briefly with a cloth, sponge, etc. without rubbing: dab a cut to stop the bleeding; to press lightlyNot to be confused with:daub ? to coat or smear a surface with a thick substance; to paint crudely: daub the primer on the raw woodAbused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embreedab 1 (d?b)v. dabbed, dab·bing, dabs v.tr.1. To apply with short poking strokes: dabbed some paint on the worn spots.2. To cover lightly with or as if with a moist substance: dabbed the back of the fabric with glue.3. a. To rub or pat (something) lightly: dabbed his eye with the corner of his sleeve.b. To press (something) lightly against an object or surface: dabbed a napkin to her lips.c. To remove or brush away with light strokes: dabbed the tears from the child’s eyes.v.intr. To make light patting or stroking motions: dabbed at the wound with a piece of gauze.n.1. A small amount: a dab of jelly.2. A quick light pat.[Middle English dabben, to strike.]dab 2 (d?b)n. Any of various flatfishes, especially the edible Limanda limanda of northeast Atlantic waters.[Middle English dabbe.]dab 3 (d?b)n. Chiefly British A dab hand.[Origin unknown.]American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.dab (dæb) vb, dabs, dabbing or dabbed1. to touch lightly and quickly2. (tr) to daub with short tapping strokes: to dab the wall with paint. 3. (tr) to apply (paint, cream, etc) with short tapping strokesn4. a small amount, esp of something soft or moist: a dab of ink. 5. a small light stroke or tap, as with the hand6. (often plural) chiefly Brit a slang word for fingerprint[C14: of imitative origin]dab (dæb) n1. (Animals) a small common European brown flatfish, Limanda limanda, covered with rough toothed scales: family Pleuronectidae: a food fish2. (Animals) (often plural) any of various other small flatfish, esp flounders. Compare sand dab3. (Animals) Also called: patiki a sand flounder, Rhombosolea plebia, common around New Zealand’s South Island[C15: from Anglo-French dabbe, of uncertain origin]DAB abbreviation for (Broadcasting) digital audio broadcasting Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014dab1 (dæb) v. dabbed, dab?bing, n. v.t. 1. to pat or tap gently: I dabbed my eyes with a handkerchief. 2. to apply (a substance) by light strokes. 3. to strike, esp. lightly. v.i. 4. to strike lightly; make a dab; pat: She dabbed at the stain on her dress. n. 5. a quick or light pat, as with something soft. 6. a small lump or quantity: a dab of powder. [1250?1300; compare Norwegian dabbe shuffle along, German tappen grope] dab?ber, n. dab2 (dæb) n. any of several flatfishes of the genus Limanda, esp. the European flatfish, L. limanda. [1570?80; of obscure orig.] dab3 (dæb) n. Slang. a person skilled in something; expert. Also called dab? hand?.[1685?95; of uncertain orig.] DAB Dictionary of American Biography. Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.dabPast participle: dabbedGerund: dabbingImperativePresentPreteritePresent ContinuousPresent PerfectPast ContinuousPast PerfectFutureFuture PerfectFuture ContinuousPresent Perfect ContinuousFuture Perfect ContinuousPast Perfect ContinuousConditionalPast ConditionalImperativedabdabPresentI dabyou dabhe/she/it dabswe dabyou dabthey dabPreteriteI dabbedyou dabbedhe/she/it dabbedwe dabbedyou dabbedthey dabbedPresent ContinuousI am dabbingyou are dabbinghe/she/it is dabbingwe are dabbingyou are dabbingthey are dabbingPresent PerfectI have dabbedyou have dabbedhe/she/it has dabbedwe have dabbedyou have dabbedthey have dabbedPast ContinuousI was dabbingyou were dabbinghe/she/it was dabbingwe were dabbingyou were dabbingthey were dabbingPast PerfectI had dabbedyou had dabbedhe/she/it had dabbedwe had dabbedyou had dabbedthey had dabbedFutureI will dabyou will dabhe/she/it will dabwe will dabyou will dabthey will dabFuture PerfectI will have dabbedyou will have dabbedhe/she/it will have dabbedwe will have dabbedyou will have dabbedthey will have dabbedFuture ContinuousI will be dabbingyou will be dabbinghe/she/it will be dabbingwe will be dabbingyou will be dabbingthey will be dabbingPresent Perfect ContinuousI have been dabbingyou have been dabbinghe/she/it has been dabbingwe have been dabbingyou have been dabbingthey have been dabbingFuture Perfect ContinuousI will have been dabbingyou will have been dabbinghe/she/it will have been dabbingwe will have been dabbingyou will have been dabbingthey will have been dabbingPast Perfect ContinuousI had been dabbingyou had been dabbinghe/she/it had been dabbingwe had been dabbingyou had been dabbingthey had been dabbingConditionalI would dabyou would dabhe/she/it would dabwe would dabyou would dabthey would dabPast ConditionalI would have dabbedyou would have dabbedhe/she/it would have dabbedwe would have dabbedyou would have dabbedthey would have dabbedCollins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011