Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary -- Volume DE-- D --D (dē) 1. The fourth letter of the English alphabet, and a vocal consonant. The English letter is from Latin, which is from Greek, which took it from Phœnician, the probable ultimate origin being Egyptian. It is related most nearly to t and th; as, Eng. deep, G. tief; Eng. daughter, G. tochter, Gr. θυγατηρ, Skr. duhitr. See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 178, 179, 229. 2. (Mus.) The nominal of the second tone in the model major scale (that in C), or of the fourth tone in the relative minor scale of C (that in A minor), or of the key tone in the relative minor of F. 3. As a numeral D stands for 500. in this use it is not the initial of any word, or even strictly a letter, but one half of the sign ? (or ? ) the original Tuscan numeral for 1000. Dab (dăb), n. [Perh. corrupted fr. adept.] A skillful hand; a dabster; an expert. [Colloq.] One excels at a plan or the titlepage, another works away at the body of the book, and the third is a dab at an index. Dab, n. [Perh. so named from its quickness in diving beneath the sand. Cf. Dabchick.] (Zoöl.) A name given to several species of flounders, esp. to the European species, Pleuronectes limanda. The American rough dab is Hippoglossoides platessoides. Dab (dăb), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Dabbed (dăbd); p. pr. & vb. n. Dabbing.] [OE. dabben to strice; akin to OD. dabben to pinch, knead, fumble, dabble, and perh. to G. tappen to grope.] 1. To strike or touch gently, as with a soft or moist substance; to tap; hence, to besmear with a dabber. A sore should . . . be wiped . . . only by dabbing it over with fine lint. 2. To strike by a thrust; to hit with a sudden blow or thrust. "To dab him in the neck." Sir T. More. Dab (?), n. 1. A gentle blow with the hand or some soft substance; a sudden blow or hit; a peck. |