dabble Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb dip a foot or hand briefly into a liquid
  2. verb play in or as if in water, as of small children
    splash around; paddle.
  3. verb work with in an amateurish manner
    smatter; play around.
    • She dabbles in astronomy
    • He plays around with investments but he never makes any money
  4. verb bob forward and under so as to feed off the bottom of a body of water
    • dabbling ducks

WordNet

Dab"ble transitive verb
Etymology
Freq. of dab: cf. OD. dabbelen.
Wordforms
imperfect &past participle Dabbled ; present participle &verbal noun Dabbling
Definitions
  1. To wet by little dips or strokes; to spatter; to sprinkle; to moisten; to wet. "Bright hair dabbled in blood." Shak.

Webster 1913