name
Meaning 1
A surname originating as a patronymic.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
dibble
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ˈdɪb(ə)l/
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Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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rhymes with -ɪbəl
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CMU ARPABET: D IH1 B AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
A pointed implement used to make holes in the ground in which to set out plants or to plant seeds.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dibbler, dibber, dib
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
A police officer, especially one serving with Greater Manchester Police.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, countable, slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
Preceded by the: the police.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, slang, uncountable
Examples
- Watch out, lads! Here comes the dibble!
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 5
To make holes or plant seeds using, or as if using, a dibble.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dib
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 6
To use a dibble; to make holes in the soil.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dib
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 7
To dib or dip frequently, as in angling.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 8
a wooden hand tool with a pointed end; used to make holes in the ground for planting seeds or bulbs
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dibber
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: hand tool
verb
Meaning 9
make a hole with a wooden hand tool
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- dibble the ground
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: dig, dig out
verb
Meaning 10
plant with a wooden hand tool
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- dibble Spring bulbs
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: plant, set
History
Etymology
From a Middle English form of the given name Theobald.
Possibly dib (“to dab lightly”) + -le (frequentative suffix indicating repetition or continuousness); however, the word dibble is attested earlier than dib.
From the character of Officer Charlie Dibble, a New York Police Department officer, in the Hanna-Barbera cartoon series Top Cat (first broadcast in the US in 1961, and in the UK in 1962 under the title Boss Cat).
Across languages
Translations
21 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Catalan: plantador — pointed implement
- Czech: sázecí kolík — pointed implement
- Danish: plantepind — pointed implement
- Danish: plantestok — pointed implement
- Dutch: pootijzer — pointed implement
- Dutch: pootstok — pointed implement
- Finnish: istutuspuikko — pointed implement
- French: plantoir — pointed implement
- Galician: plantador — pointed implement
- German: Pflanzholz — pointed implement
- German: Setzholz — pointed implement
- German: Steckholz — pointed implement
- Irish: stibhín — pointed implement
- Italian: piantatoio — pointed implement
- Laboya: kanyakka — pointed implement
- Latin: pastinum — pointed implement
- Macedonian: колче (kolče) — pointed implement
- Māori: kōkotaia — pointed implement
- Norwegian Bokmål: plantepinne — pointed implement
- Polish: sadzak — pointed implement
- Welsh: tyllwr — pointed implement