Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense dribbles, present participle dribbling, past tense, past participle dribbled
1. verb
If a liquid dribbles somewhere, or if you dribble it, it drops down slowly or flows in a thin stream.
Sweat dribbled down Hart's face. [VERB preposition/adverb]
Dribble the hot mixture slowly into the blender. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
Synonyms: run, drip, trickle, drop More Synonyms of dribble
2. countable noun [NOUNof noun]
A dribble of a liquid is a very small amount of it.
Apply a dribble of baby shampoo.
...lettuce with dribbles of vinaigrette.
Synonyms: trickle, drop, drizzle, dash More Synonyms of dribble
3. verb
When players dribble the ball in a game such as football or basketball, they keep kicking or tapping it quickly in order to keep it moving.
He dribbled the ball towards Ferris. [VERB noun]
He dribbled past four defenders. [VERB]
Her dribbling skills look second to none. [VERB-ing]
4. verb
If a person dribbles, saliva drops slowly from their mouth.
...to protect cot sheets when the baby dribbles. [VERB]
She's dribbling on her collar. [VERB]
Synonyms: drool, drivel, slaver, slobber More Synonyms of dribble
5. uncountable noun
Dribble is saliva that drops slowly from someone's mouth.
His clothes are soaked in dribble.
6. verb
If people or things dribble somewhere, they move there slowly and in small numbers.
...as the workers dribbled away from the city square. [VERB preposition/adverb]
More Synonyms of dribble
dribble in British English
(ˈdrɪbəl)
verb
1. (usually intr)
to flow or allow to flow in a thin stream or drops; trickle
2. (intransitive)
to allow saliva to trickle from the mouth
3.
(in soccer, basketball, hockey, etc) to propel (the ball) by repeatedly tapping it with the hand, foot, or stick
noun
4.
a small quantity of liquid falling in drops or flowing in a thin stream
5.
a small quantity or supply
6.
an act or instance of dribbling
Derived forms
dribbler (ˈdribbler)
noun
dribbly (ˈdribbly)
adjective
Word origin
C16: frequentative of drib, variant of drip
dribble in American English
(ˈdrɪbəl)
verb intransitive, verb transitiveWord forms: ˈdribbled or ˈdribbling
1.
to flow, or let flow, in drops or driblets; trickle
2.
to come forth or let out a little at a time
3.
to let (saliva, liquid, etc.) drip from the mouth; drool
4.
to keep (a ball or puck) in motion or move (it) forward by a rapid succession of bounces (in basketball), short kicks (in soccer), or light taps with a stick (in hockey)
noun
5.
a small drop, or a flowing in small drops
6.
a very small amount
7.
the act of dribbling a ball or puck
8.
a drizzling rain
Derived forms
dribbler (ˈdribbler)
noun
Word origin
freq. of drib
Examples of 'dribble' in a sentence
dribble
What happened to the days of great wingers taking people on, dribbling past people?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He was a right-footed left winger, a prolific scorer who cut in from the wing with pace and superb dribbling skills.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
No samba style and no mazy dribbles or showboating.
The Sun (2014)
Others dribbled away over the next four years.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Slowly dribble in the cooked mixture and blend until smooth.
Kowalski, Robert E The 8-Week Cholesterol Cure (1990)
We talk about the technical ability and dribbling that he has.
The Sun (2012)
His dribbling skills and ability to beat opponents are a joy to watch.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The tricky winger then saw another effort go narrowly wide of the near post after another mazy dribble.
The Sun (2013)
Picture it slowly melting over charred meat or fish - it will quickly set the saliva dribbling.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Players on both sides displayed dribbling skills that would be the envy of many a Premiership player.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The midfielder dribbled past three defenders before netting his 16th goal of the season.
The Sun (2016)
Hard work is a skill, like dribbling or scoring goals.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
They should look towards a bolder future, not dribbling their energy away on old squabbles.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Similarly, take the art of dribbling past a defender.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Lots of pace and dribbling ability, but also plays without fear.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It's so lacking in torque that you often stall when trying to dribble away in second.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It was a dribble past the entire team, and the whole stadium exploded.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
I just want to dribble and do skills.
The Sun (2015)
She was fed liquid food through a tube, but saliva dribbled down as she had neither skin nor lips to retain anything.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
His speed, skill, fast dribbling and ability to finish have caught the eye.
The Sun (2010)
In other languages
dribble
British English: dribble VERB
If a liquid dribbles somewhere, or if you dribble it, it drops down slowly or flows in a thin stream.
Sweat dribbled down his face.
American English: dribble
Brazilian Portuguese: gotejar
Chinese: 滴下
European Spanish: gotear
French: tomber goutte à goutte
German: tropfen
Italian: gocciolare
Japanese: したたらせる/したたる
Korean: 물이 똑똑 흐르다
European Portuguese: gotejar
Latin American Spanish: gotear
Chinese translation of 'dribble'
dribble
(ˈdrɪbl)
vi
(= trickle)[liquid]一滴滴地流 (yīdīdī de liú)
[baby, person]流口水 (liú kǒushuǐ)
(in football, basketball) 运(運)球 (yùnqiú)
vt
(in football, basketball)[ball]运(運) (yùn)
[liquid]使一滴滴地流 (shǐ yīdīdī de liú)
1 (verb)
Definition
to flow or allow to flow in a thin stream or drops
Sweat dribbled down his face.
Synonyms
run
cisterns to catch rainwater as it ran off the walls
drip
a cloth that dripped pink drops upon the floor
trickle
A tear trickled down his cheek.
drop
He felt hot tears dropping onto his fingers.
leak
The pool's sides had cracked and the water had leaked out.
ooze
Blood was still oozing from the wound.
seep
Radioactive water had seeped into underground reservoirs.
fall in drops
2 (verb)
Definition
to allow saliva to trickle from the mouth
The puppy is dribbling on his shirt.
Synonyms
drool
The dog was drooling on my shoulder.
drivel
slaver
No doubt many readers will slaver over these bits.
slobber
slobbering on his eternal cigarette end
drip saliva
1 (noun)
Definition
a small quantity of liquid falling in drops or flowing in a thin stream
Apply a dribble of shampoo.
Synonyms
trickle
There was not so much as a trickle of water.
drop
I'll have a drop of that milk.
drizzle
dash
Add a dash of balsamic vinegar.
splash
Add a splash of lemon juice to flavour the butter.
drip
Drips of water rolled down his uniform.
2 (noun)
His top is soaked in dribble.
Synonyms
saliva
A string of saliva looped from his mouth.
spit
When he took a corner kick he was showered with spit.