Standard Lemma guide

dribble

noun · verb · 20 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

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.

  • UK: /ˈdɹɪ.bəl/
  • UK: /dɹɪ.bl̩/
  • US: /ˈdɹɪ.bɫ̩/
  • US: /ˈdɹɪ.b(ə)l/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪbəl
  • CMU ARPABET: D R IH1 B AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Drool; saliva.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Rubbish; worthless matter.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: colloquial, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A weak, unsteady stream; a trickle.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A small amount of a liquid.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

The act of moving (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A card flourish in which the cards fall smoothly from one's hand.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

In various ball games, to move (with) the ball, controlling its path by kicking or bouncing it repeatedly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: ball-games, basketball, games, hobbies, lifestyle, soccer, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To let saliva drip from the mouth; to drool.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The baby dribbled onto its bib.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To fall in drops or an unsteady stream; to trickle.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To move or roll slowly or in small quantities.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

verb

Meaning 11

To let something fall in drips.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

verb

Meaning 12

To live or pass one's time in a trivial fashion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

verb

Meaning 13

To perform a card flourish in which the cards fall smoothly from one's hand.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

noun

Meaning 14

the propulsion of a ball by repeated taps or kicks

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dribbling

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: propulsion, actuation

Narrower terms: double dribble

15

noun

Meaning 15

saliva spilling from the mouth

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: drool, drivel, slobber

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: saliva, spit, spittle

16

noun

Meaning 16

flowing in drops; the formation and falling of drops of liquid

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • there's a drip through the roof

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: drip, trickle

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: flow, flowing

Narrower terms: intravenous drip

17

verb

Meaning 17

let saliva drivel from the mouth

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The baby drooled

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: drivel, drool, slabber, slaver, slobber

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: salivate

18

verb

Meaning 18

propel,

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Carry the ball
  • dribble the ball

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: carry

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: hit

19

verb

Meaning 19

let or cause to fall in drops

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • dribble oil into the mixture

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: drip, drop

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: pour

20

verb

Meaning 20

run or flow slowly, as in drops or in an unsteady stream

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • water trickled onto the lawn from the broken hose
  • reports began to dribble in

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: trickle, filter

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: run, flow, feed, course

Narrower terms: leach, percolate

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English drib Proto-Germanic *-lōną Old English -lian Middle English -len English -le English dribble From drib + -le (frequentative suffix).

Across languages

Translations

143 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: капене (kapene) — trickle
  • Bulgarian: росене (rosene) — trickle
  • Finnish: noro — trickle
  • French: bave — trickle
  • Galician: baba — trickle
  • Galician: babuxa — trickle
  • Galician: baballa — trickle
  • Italian: bava — trickle
  • Bulgarian: капка (kapka) — small amount of liquid
  • Catalan: bava — small amount of liquid
  • Catalan: gota — small amount of liquid
  • Catalan: regalim — small amount of liquid
  • Dutch: druppel — small amount of liquid
  • Finnish: tilkka — small amount of liquid
  • Finnish: pisara — small amount of liquid
  • Finnish: tippa — small amount of liquid
  • French: goutte — small amount of liquid
  • Galician: pinga — small amount of liquid
  • Galician: pingueira — small amount of liquid
  • Galician: gota — small amount of liquid
  • Italian: bava — small amount of liquid
  • Albanian: driblim — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • Bulgarian: дрибъл (dribǎl) — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • Catalan: driblatge — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • Catalan: conducció — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • Dutch: dribbelen — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • Finnish: kuljettaminen — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • French: dribble — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • Galician: caneo — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • German: Dribbeln — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • German: Dribbling — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • Greenlandic: arsamik ingerlatsineq — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • Hebrew: כדרור (kidrur) — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • Irish: druibleáil — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • Persian: دریبل (dribl) — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • Portuguese: drible — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • Romanian: dribling — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • Serbo-Croatian: дриблинг — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • Serbo-Croatian: дриблање — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • Serbo-Croatian: dribling — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • Serbo-Croatian: driblanje — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • Spanish: regate — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • Spanish: gambeta — act of kicking or bouncing a ball
  • Bulgarian: лигавя се (ligavja se) — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Catalan: babejar — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Chinese Mandarin: 滴涎 — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Czech: slintat — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Dutch: kwijlen — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Dutch: zeveren — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Esperanto: bavi — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Esperanto: salivumi — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Finnish: kuolata — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • French: baver — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Galician: babear — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Galician: babexar — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Galician: baballar — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • German: sabbern — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • German: geifern — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Ido: bavar — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Italian: sbavare — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Japanese: 滲む (nijimu) — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Māori: hāwareware — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Portuguese: babar — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Russian: пуска́ть слюни (puskátʹ sljuni) — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Serbo-Croatian: балавити — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Serbo-Croatian: balaviti — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Spanish: babear — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Swedish: dregla — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Tamil: ஜொள்ளு விடு (joḷḷu viṭu) — to let saliva drip from the mouth
  • Bulgarian: капя (kapja) — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Bulgarian: църцоря (cǎrcorja) — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Catalan: gotejar — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Czech: kapat — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Dutch: druppelen — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Esperanto: guti — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Finnish: tippua — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Finnish: tihkua — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • French: goutter — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Galician: pingar — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Galician: gotexar — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Galician: gotear — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • German: tropfen — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Hungarian: csurran — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Hungarian: csöpög — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Hungarian: csepeg — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Hungarian: csöppen — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Hungarian: cseppen — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Italian: sbrodolare — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Manx: sheel — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Māori: pāhīhī — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Portuguese: gotejar — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Portuguese: pingar — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Serbo-Croatian: цуркати (curkati) — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Spanish: gotear — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Swedish: droppa — to fall in drops or an unsteady stream
  • Albanian: dribloj — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Arabic: رَاوَغ (rāwaḡ) — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Bulgarian: дриблирам (dribliram) — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Catalan: conduir — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Catalan: driblar — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Catalan: passejar — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Catalan: regatejar — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Czech: driblovat — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Dutch: dribbelen — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Esperanto: dribli — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Finnish: kuljettaa — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • French: dribbler — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Galician: canear — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Galician: driblar — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • German: dribbeln — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Hebrew: כדרר (kidrér) — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Hungarian: pattogtat — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Icelandic: dripla — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Ido: driblar — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Irish: druibleáil — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Italian: dribblare — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Māori: ārahirahi — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Khiamniungan Naga: tāi — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Norwegian Bokmål: drible — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Polish: kozłować — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Portuguese: driblar — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Romanian: dribla — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Russian: вести́ мяч (vestí mjač) — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Serbo-Croatian: driblati — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Spanish: regatear — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Spanish: gambetear — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Spanish: driblar — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Spanish: driblear — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Spanish: cachañear — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Swedish: dribbla — to move (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it
  • Bulgarian: изкапвам (izkapvam) — to let something fall in drips
  • Czech: odkapávat — to let something fall in drips
  • Czech: nechat kapat — to let something fall in drips
  • Dutch: druppelen — to let something fall in drips
  • Esperanto: pogute versi — to let something fall in drips
  • Finnish: tiputtaa — to let something fall in drips
  • Finnish: tiputella — to let something fall in drips
  • Galician: pingar — to let something fall in drips
  • Galician: gotexar — to let something fall in drips
  • Galician: gotear — to let something fall in drips
  • Hungarian: csöpögtet — to let something fall in drips
  • Hungarian: csepegtet — to let something fall in drips
  • Hungarian: csurrant — to let something fall in drips