v., -bled, -bling, -bles.

v.tr.

To splash or spatter with or as if with a liquid: “The moon hung over the harbor dabbling the waves with gold” (Katherine Mansfield).

v.intr.

1. To splash liquid gently and playfully.
2. To undertake something superficially or without serious intent: “The restaurant business entails more than . . . dabbling in interior design” (Andy Birsh).
3. To bob forward and under in shallow water so as to feed off the bottom.

[Possibly from Dutch dabbelen, frequentative of dabben, to strike, tap.]

v

Definition: play at; tinker
Antonyms: take seriously

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IN BRIEF: To do something lightly or playfully.

On the weekends when he wasn't working, he liked to dabble in bubble gum art.

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The verb has 3 meanings:

Meaning #1: dip a foot or hand briefly into a liquid

Meaning #2: play in or as if in water, as of small children
  Synonyms: paddle, splash around

Meaning #3: work with in a non-serious manner
  Synonyms: smatter, play around

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Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - stænke, fugte
v. intr. - fuske med, give sig lidt af med, pjaske

Nederlands (Dutch)
liefhebberen, poedelen, rondscharrelen, besprenkelen

Français (French)
v. tr. - barboter, tremper
v. intr. - (fig) faire qch en amateur

Deutsch (German)
v. - planschen, befeuchten, bespritzen, dilettieren

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - πιτσιλίζω, ραίνω, πλατσουρίζω, ψευτοκαταγίνομαι (με)

Italiano (Italian)
sguazzare

Português (Portuguese)
v. - umedecer

Русский (Russian)
макать, плескаться, баловаться

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - chapotear, lavar o enjuagar ligeramente
v. intr. - interesarse superficialmente, chapotear

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - fukta, väta, plaska

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
浸入水中, 溅, 洒, 嬉水, 涉足, 涉猎, 浅尝

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 浸入水中, 濺, 灑, 嬉水
v. intr. - 嬉水, 涉足, 涉獵, 淺嘗

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - (물 등을) 튀기다
v. intr. - 물장난을 하다, 취미 삼아 해보다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - パチャパチャさせる, はね返す, 道楽半分にやる

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يبلل عن طريق الرشرشه, يلعب ( بيديه أو قدميه) في الماء, يشتغل ( في مجال ما) على سبيل الهوايه أو على نطاق ضيق‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮התיז‬
v. intr. - ‮טפח במים‬

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