dub

1 of 5

verb (1)

dubbed; dubbing

transitive verb

1
a
: to confer knighthood on
was dubbed Sir Philip
b
: to call by a distinctive title, epithet, or nickname
Critics have dubbed him the new king of rock 'n' roll.
2
: to trim or remove the comb (see comb entry 1 sense 2a) and wattles of
3
a
golf : to hit (a ball or shot) poorly
b
: to execute poorly
a dubbed attempt

dub

2 of 5

verb (2)

dubbed; dubbing; dubs

transitive verb

1
: to add (sound effects or new dialogue) to a film or to a radio or television production
usually used with in
They dubbed in the music.
2
: to provide (a motion-picture film) with a new soundtrack and especially dialogue in a different language
The film was dubbed in French and Spanish.
3
: to make a new recording of (previously recorded sound)
That file was probably created … years earlier from a CD, which itself may have been created from a suboptimal "safety copy" of the LP master—or even from a dubbed duplicate of that dubbed duplicate.Jody Rosen
also : to mix (recorded sound from different sources) into a single recording

dub

3 of 5

noun (1)

: Jamaican music in which audio effects and spoken or chanted words are imposed on an instrumental reggae background

dub

4 of 5

noun (2)

: one who is inept or clumsy

dub

5 of 5

noun (3)

chiefly Scotland

Examples of dub in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
And in the movie, Dexter's then-partner Sylvie is concerned Dexter has slept with the bride — something Emma later confirms in conversation with him, again with the incident being dubbed as a foot massage that escalated. Lindsay Kimble, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 Fans dubbed them ‘Zambia’s Beatles’ while their incendiary on-stage antics and seven-hour sets led to gargantuan local fame. Tracy Kawalik, SPIN, 5 Mar. 2024 Bitcoin, dubbed by its staunch supporters as digital gold, has also surged in recent weeks. Krystal Hur, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said 150 suspects, or johns, were arrested along with 66 prostitutes and 12 others in the multi-agency operation dubbed Operation March Sadness 2024. Stephen Sorace, Fox News, 5 Mar. 2024 In 2020, Thom Sweeney turned a four-story townhouse on Old Burlington Street into its new flagship, complete with a below-ground barbershop, a snooker table in the first-floor showroom, all of it crowned by a cocktail lounge dubbed Sol’s. Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 4 Mar. 2024 Li Auto’s answer to slowing sales is its first fully-electric minivan, dubbed the Li Mega, which the company unveiled on Friday. Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 4 Mar. 2024 The event, dubbed Bockfest, was meant to celebrate both the coming of spring and Over-the-Rhine's brewing heritage. Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 1 Mar. 2024 The body products will also be available in an unscented option, dubbed Always Nude, which has been their most popular option. Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Noun
The streaming and early access to shows from Japan with subtitles and dubs. Nick Statt, The Verge, 26 Feb. 2024 Embellished with swirling, spikey synths this dub drenched instrumental highlights Family Man’s booming bassline that snakes its way around skanking guitars, bubbling keys and Fela Kuti-esque horns. Patricia Meschino, Rolling Stone, 4 Feb. 2024 Their fusion of roots reggae with an increasingly pop-leaning blend of soul, R&B, dub, calypso, and other dance styles proved a hit both on U.S. radio and in their Jamaican homeland, where the band moved after releasing debut LP Miracles. Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 26 Feb. 2024 The Caribbean country is known for its sound above all else, having gifted the globe with six genres of music: reggae, dancehall, dub, ska, rocksteady, and mento. Annie Daly, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2024 Bale at least has experience with Miyazaki's movies, having voiced the titular wizard in the English dub of Howl's Moving Castle. EW.com, 17 Oct. 2023 New episodes drop weekly, and the English dub premieres this Saturday. James Grebey, Vulture, 19 Jan. 2024 The show introduces Haru (voiced by Non in Japanese and by Karen Fukuhara in the English dub), a young human stuck at a crossroads familiar to any 20- or 30-something. Emma Stefansky, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2024 Her partner composes and plays Volga dub, a kind of Russian reggae—the soundtrack of the pacifist pirates of the river. Elettra Pauletto, Harper's Magazine, 11 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dub.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1) and Noun (2)

Middle English dubben, from Old English dubbian; akin to Old Norse dubba to dub, Old High German tubili plug

Verb (2)

by shortening & alteration from double

Noun (3)

Middle English (Scots) dubbe

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (2)

1930, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

1974, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1884, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dub was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near dub

Cite this Entry

“Dub.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dub. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dub

1 of 2 verb
dubbed; dubbing
1
: to make a knight of
2

dub

2 of 2 verb
dubbed; dubbing
: to add sound effects or new dialogue to a film or broadcast

Medical Definition

DUB

abbreviation
dysfunctional uterine bleeding

More from Merriam-Webster on dub

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