• (RP) IPA: /ˈdæb(ə)l/
• (GA) IPA: /ˈdæbəl/

dabble (dabbles, present participle dabbling; past and past participle dabbled)

1. (transitive) To make slightly wet#Adjective|wet or soiled#Adjective|soiled by spatter#Verb|spattering or sprinkle#Verb|sprinkling a liquid#Noun|liquid (such as water#Noun|water, mud, or paint#Noun|paint) on it; to bedabble. [from late 16th c.]
   • 1640, I. H. [i.e., James Howell], “A Character of Itelia”, in ΔΕΝΔΡΟΛΟΓΊΑ [DENDROLOGIA]. Dodona’s Grove, or, The Vocall Forrest, London: By T[homas] B[adger] for H. Mosley [i.e., Humphrey Moseley] […], OCLC 987785018 ↗, page 32 ↗:

     The Itelians […] reſpectleſſe of gentry, of few words, for they barrell up commonly more then they can broach, and ſo may be ſaid to be like a great bottle with a narrow necke; yet they are moſt cunning and circumſpect in negotiating, ſpecially when they have bin tampering with the Vine or the hop, and are dabbled a little with their liquor.

2. (transitive) To cause splashing#Noun|splashing by moving a body part like a bill#Noun|bill or limb in soft mud, water, etc., often playfully; to play#Verb|play in shallow#Adjective|shallow water; to paddle#Verb|paddle.

   The children sat on the dock and dabbled their feet in the water.

3. (intransitive, figuratively) To participate or have an interest#Noun|interest in an activity in a casual or superficial way.

   She’s an actress by trade, but has been known to dabble in poetry.

4. (intransitive, obsolete) To interfere or meddle#Verb|meddle in; to tamper#Verb|tamper with.

• (to make slightly wet or soiled) bespatter, besprinkle, spatter

• French: barboter
• German: platschen
• Italian: sguazzare
• Portuguese: umedecer
• Russian: плеска́ться
• Spanish: chapotear

• German: ein wenig befassen, dilettieren
• Italian: dilettarsi, occuparsi a tempo perso
• Russian: занима́ться пове́рхностно
• Spanish: aventurarse en

dabble (plural dabbles)

1. A spattering#Noun|spattering or sprinkling#Noun|sprinkling of a liquid#Noun|liquid.
   • 1936, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, “Adolf”, in Edward D[avid] McDonald, editor, Phoenix: The Posthumous Papers of D. H. Lawrence, London: William Heinemann Ltd., OCLC 906447154 ↗, page 9 ↗:

     Opening the scullery door, I heard a slight scuffle. Then I saw dabbles of milk all over the floor and tiny rabbit-droppings in the saucers. And there the miscreant, the tips of his ears showing behind a pair of boots. I peeped at him. He said bright-eyed and askance, twitching his nose and looking at me while not looking at me.

2. An act of splashing#Noun|splashing in soft mud, water#Noun|water, etc.
3. An act of participation in an activity in a casual or superficial way.

• Spanish: chapoteo

• Spanish: escarceo