The difference between Dab and Daub

When used as nouns, dab means a soft tap or blow, whereas daub means excrement or clay used as a bonding material in construction .

When used as verbs, dab means to press lightly in a repetitive motion with a soft object without rubbing, whereas daub means to apply (something) to a surface in hasty or crude strokes.


Dab is also adverb with the meaning: with a dab, or sudden contact.

Dab is also adjective with the meaning: bad.

check bellow for the other definitions of Dab and Daub

  1. Dab as a verb (transitive):

    To press lightly in a repetitive motion with a soft object without rubbing.

    Examples:

    "I dabbed my face with a towel."

  2. Dab as a verb (transitive):

    To apply a substance in this way.

    Examples:

    "He dabbed moisturizing liquid on his face."

  3. Dab as a verb:

    To strike by a thrust; to hit with a sudden blow or thrust.

  4. Dab as a verb:

    To apply to a heated surface for the purpose of efficient combustion.

  5. Dab as a verb:

    To perform the dab dance move, by moving both arms to one side of the body parallel with your head.

  1. Dab as a noun:

    A soft tap or blow; a blow or peck from a bird's beak; an aimed blow.

  2. Dab as a noun (AAVE):

    A soft, playful box given in greeting or approval.

  3. Dab as a noun:

    A small amount, a blob of some soft or wet substance. A small amount of .

  4. Dab as a noun (chiefly, in the plural, dated, British):

    Fingerprint.

  5. Dab as a noun:

    A hip hop dance move in which the dancer simultaneously drops the head while raising an arm, briefly resting their face in the elbow, as if sneezing into their elbow.

  1. Dab as an adverb:

    With a dab, or sudden contact.

  1. Dab as a noun:

    One skilful or proficient; an expert; an adept.

  1. Dab as a noun:

    A small flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae, especially ; a flounder.

  2. Dab as a noun (US):

    A sand dab, a small flatfish of genus .

  1. Dab as an adjective (obsolete, costers):

    Bad

  1. Daub as a noun:

    Excrement or clay used as a bonding material in construction .

  2. Daub as a noun:

    A soft coating of mud, plaster etc.

  3. Daub as a noun:

    A crude or amateurish painting.

  1. Daub as a verb (intransitive, transitive):

    To apply (something) to a surface in hasty or crude strokes.

    Examples:

    "synonyms: apply coat cover plaster smear"

    "The artist just seemed to daub on paint at random and suddenly there was a painting."

  2. Daub as a verb (transitive):

    To paint (a picture, etc.) in a coarse or unskilful manner.

  3. Daub as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

    To cover with a specious or deceitful exterior; to disguise; to conceal.

  4. Daub as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

    To flatter excessively or grossly.

  5. Daub as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

    To put on without taste; to deck gaudily.

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