dribble

 
Pronunciation: /ˈdrɪb(ə)l/

verb

  • 1 [no object and usually with adverbial of direction] (of a liquid) fall slowly in drops or a thin stream: rain dribbled down the window
  • [with object and adverbial of direction] pour (a liquid) slowly in a thin stream: he dribbled cream into his coffee
  • [no object] allow saliva to run from the mouth: his mouth was open and he was dribbling
  • 2 [with object and adverbial of direction] (in soccer, hockey, and basketball) take (the ball) forwards past opponents with slight touches of the feet or the stick, or (in basketball) by continuous bouncing: he attempted to dribble the ball from the goal area

noun

  • 1a thin stream of liquid; a trickle: a dribble of blood
  • [mass noun] saliva running from the mouth: there was dribble down his chin
  • 2(in soccer, hockey, and basketball) an act of taking the ball forward with repeated slight touches or bounces: a mesmerizing dribble by Daley took him through to confirm Villa’s victory

Derivatives

dribbler

noun

dribbly

adjective

Origin:

mid 16th century: frequentative of obsolete drib, variant of drip. The original sense was 'shoot an arrow short or wide of its target', which was also a sense of drib