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dabble

   Also found in: Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
dab·ble  (dbl)
v. dab·bled, dab·bling, dab·bles
v.tr.
To splash or spatter with or as if with a liquid: "The moon hung over the harbor dabbling the waves with gold" Katherine Mansfield.
v.intr.
1. To splash liquid gently and playfully.
2. To undertake something superficially or without serious intent: "The restaurant business entails more than . . . dabbling in interior design" Andy Birsh.
3. To bob forward and under in shallow water so as to feed off the bottom.

[Possibly from Dutch dabbelen, frequentative of dabben, to strike, tap.]

dabble
Verb
[-bling, -bled]
1. to be involved in an activity in a superficial way: she dabbles in right-wing politics
2. to splash (one's toes or fingers) in water [probably from Dutch dabbelen]
dabbler n
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Verb1.dabble - dip a foot or hand briefly into a liquid
dip, dunk, souse, douse, plunge - immerse briefly into a liquid so as to wet, coat, or saturate; "dip the garment into the cleaning solution"; "dip the brush into the paint"
2.dabble - play in or as if in water, as of small children
play - be at play; be engaged in playful activity; amuse oneself in a way characteristic of children; "The kids were playing outside all day"; "I used to play with trucks as a little girl"
3.dabble - work with in an amateurish manner; "She dabbles in astronomy"; "He plays around with investments but he never makes any money"
busy, occupy - keep busy with; "She busies herself with her butterfly collection"
4.dabble - bob forward and under so as to feed off the bottom of a body of water; "dabbling ducks"
bob - move up and down repeatedly; "her rucksack bobbed gently on her back"

dabble
verb (usually with in or with) play (at or with), potter, tinker (with), trifle (with), dip into, dally (with)
Translations
Spanish dabble [ˈdæbl] vi to dabble in → hacer por afición
French dabble [ˈdæbl] vi to dabble in → faire or se mêler or s'occuper un peu de
German dabble [ˈdæbl] vi to dabble in → sich (nebenbei) beschäftigen mit
Italian dabble [ˈdæbl] vi to dabble in → occuparsi (da dilettante) di

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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
who art read in the laws of the Gentiles, and hast sojourned among them who dabble with the Teraphim
The modern masters promise very little; they know that metals cannot be transmuted and that the elixir of life is a chimera but these philosophers, whose hands seem only made to dabble in dirt, and their eyes to pore over the microscope or crucible, have indeed performed miracles.
"I have to be careful," he continued, turning to me with a smile, "for I dabble with poisons a good deal.
 
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