Толковый словарь английского языка Oxford English Reference - dab

1. v. & n. --v. (dabbed, dabbing) 1 tr. press (a surface) briefly with a cloth, sponge, etc., without rubbing, esp. in cleaning or to apply a substance. 2 tr. press (a sponge etc.) lightly on a surface. 3 tr. (foll. by on) apply (a substance) by dabbing a surface. 4 intr. (usu. foll. by at) aim a feeble blow; tap. 5 tr. strike lightly; tap. --n. 1 a brief application of a cloth, sponge, etc., to a surface without rubbing. 2 a small amount of something applied in this way (a dab of paint). 3 a light blow or tap. 4 (in pl.) Brit. sl. fingerprints. Derivatives dabber n. Etymology: ME, imit. 2. n. any flat-fish of the genus Limanda. Etymology: 15th c.: orig. unkn. 3. adj. esp. Brit. colloq. Phrases and idioms dab hand (usu. foll. by at) a person especially skilled (in) (a dab hand at cooking). Etymology: 17th c.: orig. unkn.