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Dab vs Wipe - What's the difference?

dab | wipe |

In transitive terms the difference between dab and wipe

is that dab is to apply a substance in this way while wipe is to remove by rubbing; to rub off; to obliterate; usually followed by away, off, or out.

As an adverb dab

is with a dab, or sudden contact.

As an initialism DAB

is digital audio broadcasting.

dab

English

(wikipedia dab)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Verb

(dabb)
  • To press lightly in a repetitive motion with a soft object without rubbing.
    • I dabbed my face with a towel.
  • * S. Sharp
    • A sore should only by dabbing it over with fine lint.
  • To apply a substance in this way.
    • He dabbed moisturizing liquid on his face.
  • To strike by a thrust; to hit with a sudden blow or thrust.
  • * Sir T. More
    • to dab him in the neck
  • To apply

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • A soft tap or blow; a blow or peck from a bird's beak; an aimed blow.
  • *
  • *
  • (AAVE) A soft, playful given in greeting or approval.
  • *
  • *
  • *
    • page 197: I step closer to Profit and draw in a deep, steadying breath while the brothers exchange dabs . “What's up, fam? I see you finally made it.”
  • A small amount, a blob of some soft or wet substance.
  • (chiefly, in the plural, dated, British) Fingerprint.
  • A small amount of .
    • Coordinate terms
    * fistbump, high five
    Related terms
    * dob

    Adverb

    (-)
  • With a dab, or sudden contact.

    • Etymology 2

    Perhaps corrupted from adept.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One skilful or proficient; an expert; an adept.
  • * Goldsmith
    • One excels at a plan or the title page, another works away at the body of the book, and the third is a dab at an index.
    Synonyms
    * See also
    Derived terms
    * dab hand

    Etymology 3

    Origin unknown.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A small flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae, especially ? a flounder.
  • (US) A sand dab, a small flatfish of genus .

    • References

    * Oxford English Dictionary (1989)

    Anagrams

    * ----

    wipe

    English

    (wikipedia wipe)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) . More at (l), (l).

    Verb

    (wip)
  • To move an object over, maintaining contact, with the intention of removing some substance from the surface. (cf. rub)
    • Melissa wiped her glasses with her shirt.
    I wiped the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand.
    Tom started to wipe his eyes.
  • * 1900 , , (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)
    • So they passed through the Palace Gates and were led into a big room with a green carpet and lovely green furniture set with emeralds. The soldier made them all wipe their feet upon a green mat before entering this room, and when they were seated he said politely
  • To remove by rubbing; to rub off; to obliterate; usually followed by away'', ''off'', or ''out .
  • * (rfdate) Milton
    • Some natural tears they dropped, but wiped them soon.
  • (obsolete) To cheat; to defraud; to trick; usually followed by out .
    • (Spenser)
  • * (rfdate) Robynson (More's Utopia)
    • If they by coveyne [covin] or gile be wiped beside their goods.
  • (computing) To erase.
    • I accidentally wiped my hard drive.
  • (plumbing) To make (a joint, as between pieces of lead pipe), by surrounding the junction with a mass of solder, applied in a plastic condition by means of a rag with which the solder is shaped by rubbing.

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of wiping something.
    • multiple wipes of a computer's hard disk
  • A soft piece of cloth or cloth-like material used for wiping.
  • A kind of film transition where one shot replaces another by travelling from one side of the frame to another or with a special shape.

    • Derived terms

    * asswipe * baby wipe * wet wipe * wipe away * wipe off * wipe out * wipeout * wipe somebody's eye * wipe the floor * wipe the slate clean * wiper

    Etymology 2

    Compare (etyl) (m), (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The lapwing.