Part 2721

<hw>Dab"ble</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp.&p.p</tt> <er>Dabbled</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>p.pr.&vb.n.</tt> <er>Dabbling</er> <tt>(?)</tt>.]</wordforms> <ety>[Freq. of <ets>dab</ets>: cf. OD. <ets>dabbelen</ets>.]</ety> <def>To wet by little dips or strokes; to spatter; to sprinkle; to moisten; to wet.</def> "Bright hair <i>dabbled</i> in blood."

<i>Shak.</i>

<h1>Dable</h1> <Xpage=364>

<hw>Dab"le</hw>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To play in water, as with the hands; to paddle or splash in mud or water.</def>

<blockquote>Wher the duck <b>dabbles</b> <?/mid the rustling sedge. <i>Wordsworth.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To work in slight or superficial manner; to do in a small way; to tamper; to meddle.</def> "<i>Dabbling</i> here and there with the text."

<i>Atterbury.</i>

<blockquote>During the ferst year at Dumfries, Burns for the ferst time began to <b>dabble</b> in politics. <i>J. C. Shairp.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Dabbler</h1> <Xpage=364>

<hw>Dab"bler</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>One who dabbles.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>One who dips slightly into anything; a superficial meddler.</def> "our <i>dabblers</i> in politics."

<i>Swift.</i>

<h1>Dabblingly</h1> <Xpage=364>

<hw>Dab"bling*ly</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>adv.</tt> <def>In a dabbling manner.</def>

<h1>Dabchick</h1> <Xpage=364>

<hw>Dab"chick`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[For <ets>dabchick</ets>. See <er>Dap</er>, <er>Dip</er>, cf. <er>Dipchick</er>.]</ety> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>A small water bird (<spn>Podilymbus podiceps</spn>), allied to the grebes, remarkable for its quickness in diving; -- called also <altname>dapchick</altname>, <altname>dobchick</altname>, <altname>dipchick</altname>, <altname>didapper</altname>, <altname>dobber</altname>, <altname>devil-diver</altname>, <altname>hell-diver</altname>, and <altname>pied-billed grebe</altname>.</def>

<h1>Daboia</h1> <Xpage=364>

<hw>Da*boi"a</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>A large and highly venomous Asiatic viper (<spn>Daboia xanthica</spn>).</def>

<h1>Dabster</h1> <Xpage=364>

<hw>Dab"ster</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Cf. <er>Dab</er> an expert.]</ety> <def>One who is skilled; a master of his business; a proficient; an adept.</def> <mark>[Colloq.]</mark>

<note>&hand; Sometimes improperly used for <i>dabbler</i>; as, "I am but a <i>dabster</i> with gentle art."</note>

<h1>Dacapo</h1> <Xpage=364>

<hw>Da`ca"po</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>. <ety>[It., from head or beginning.]</ety> <fld>(Mus.)</fld> <def>From the beginning; a direction to return to, and end with, the first strain; -- indicated by the letters <it>D. C.</it> Also, the strain so repeated.</def>

<h1>Dace</h1> <Xpage=364>

<hw>Dace</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Written also <ets>dare</ets>, <ets>dart</ets>, fr. F. <ets>dard</ets> dase, dart, of German origin. <ets>Dace</ets> is for an older <ets>darce</ets>, fr. an OF. nom. <ets>darz</ets>. See <er>Dart</er> a javelin.]</ety> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>A small European cyprinoid fish (<spn>Squalius leuciscus</spn> or <spn>Leuciscus vulgaris</spn>); -- called also <altname>dare</altname>.</def>

<note>&hand; In America the name is given to several related fishes of the genera <spn>Squalius</spn>, <spn>Minnilus</spn>, etc. The black-nosed dace is <spn>Rhinichthys atronasus</spn> the horned dace is <spn>Semotilus corporalis</spn>. For red dace, see <er>Redfin</er>.</note>

<h1>Dachshund</h1> <Xpage=364>

<hw>Dachs"hund`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[G., from <ets>dachs</ets> badger + <ets>hund</ets> dog.]</ety> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>One of a breed of small dogs with short crooked legs, and long body; -- called also <altname>badger dog</altname>. There are two kinds, the rough-haired and the smooth-haired.</def>