dibs
/dɪbz
/plural noun informal
1 (usually in phrase have first dibs) The right to share or choose something.The trouble for equity investors is that the debtholders have first dibs over the initial £2.9b of any valuation, and possibly even more than that as Marconi will need to retain some of its cash for working capital purposes....
- But it wasn't about rescuing an animal, it was just the way to continue the friendship, and I'm glad that Rex Petersen said I could have first dibs at TJ.
- I believe that probably Silverstein's proposal - and he has first dibs, as it were, because he leased the buildings - of four buildings making up the same amount of space is probably what will happen.
2 dated Money.Well, Artsfans, no longer will you have to schlepp down to Churchill Square or crook your dialing finger to lay dibs on tickets to that exquisite cultural event....
- My dibs are on him being some lame ABC type.
- On the off chance that they did, I'd like to remind them that I've got dibs on Attenborough and Harris.
Origin
Mid 18th century (denoting pebbles used in a children's game): from earlier dib-stones, perhaps from dib.