dab [dæb]
USAGE NOTE
This word is often used in the plural in the sense shown in 7).
dab(
dahb
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g. I bought a book.).
1. (to apply lightly)
a. dar unos toques de
I dabbed some antihistamine cream on her rash.Le di unos toques de crema antihistamínica en su erupción.
b. poner
Roxanne dabbed some perfume behind her ears and left for the party.Roxanne puso un poco de perfume detrás de las orejas y salió a la fiesta.
c. aplicar
Patricia dabbed some paint on the nicked surface of the door.Patricia aplicó pintura en la superficie mellada de la puerta.
d. untar
Rob dabbed some garlic butter on the bread and put it in the oven.Rob untó mantequilla con ajo en el pan y lo puso en el horno.
2. (to press lightly)
a. dar unos toques a
The nurse dipped a cotton ball in alcohol and dabbed Jim's arm before injecting him.La enfermera humedeció una torunda en alcohol y le dio unos toques al brazo de Jim antes de inyectarle.
b. secarse
Gisela stopped crying, dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, and said she was leaving.Gisela dejó de llorar, se secó los ojos con un pañuelo y dijo que se iba.
3. (to remove; used with "off"`)
a. quitar
Larry dabbed the ketchup stain off with a damp cloth.Larry quitó la mancha de catsup con un trapo humedecido.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling or idea (e.g. man, dog, house).
4. (small amount)
c. el poquito (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Would you like hot sauce on your pizza? - Just a dab, please.¿Quieres salsa picante en tu pizza? - Solo un poquito, por favor.
5. (gentle stroke)
a. el toque (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
She removed the excess paint from the canvas with a dab of a tissue.Retiró el exceso de pintura del lienzo con un toque con un pañuelo.
6. (animal)
a. la lenguadina (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
As other species have been overfished, more people are fishing for dab now.Como se ha abusado de la pesca de otras especies, ahora más gente pesca lenguadina.
7. (culinary)
a. la lenguadina (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Dabs, being from the North Atlantic, have plenty of healthy fats.Las lenguadinas, al ser del Atlántico Norte, son ricas en grasas saludables.
dabs
A plural noun indicates that there is more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
8. (slang) (fingerprint) (United Kingdom)
A very informal word or phrase used by a particular group or community as a substitute for standard language (e.g., joint, john).
a. las huellas digitales (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The bobby nicked her for shoplifting and took her dabs.El poli la agarró por hurto y le tomó las huellas digitales.
b. las huellas dactilares (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
They took his dabs as part of the application process.Le tomaron las huellas dactilares como parte del proceso de la solicitud.
dabNountransitive verb
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling or idea (e.g. man, dog, house).
1. (of paint, glue, perfume)
a. el pizca f, toque(M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
2. (colloquial) (United Kingdom)
a.
dabshuellas fpl dactilares or digitales
she's a dab hand at drawingdibuja que es un alucine
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g. I bought a book.).
3. (paint, glue, perfume)
a. aplicar, poner
she dabbed her eyes with a handkerchiefse secó los ojos delicadamente con un pañuelo
Copyright © 2006 Harrap Publishers Limited
Collins Complete Spanish Electronic Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
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