Illustration of dado
- 1 surbase
- 2 dado
- 3 base
plural dadoes
1
a
: the part of a pedestal of a column above the base
b
: the lower part of an interior wall when specially decorated or faced
also
: the decoration adorning this part of a wall
2
: a rectangular groove cut to make a joint in woodworking
specifically
: one cut across the grain
dadoed; dadoing
1
: to provide with a dado
2
a
: to set into a groove
b
: to cut a dado in (something, such as a plank)
Examples of dado in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ian Phillips, Architectural Digest, 21 Mar. 2025
The 15-amp motor (3,600 RPM) is strong enough to saw through dado or other thick materials, and it’s got a T-square, three-point locking rip fence for even easier cutting.
—Barbara Bellesi Zito, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2023
Next, mill a dado near the bottom edge of each side piece that will accept the bottom.
—Paul Steiner, Popular Mechanics, 24 Mar. 2023
The box needed a bunch of rabbets, which are two-sided channels milled into the edge of a board (a dado is similar but has three sides).
—Paul Steiner, Popular Mechanics, 24 Mar. 2023
Start by cutting the dados and rabbets slightly too narrow and testing the fit.
—David Kaleko, Popular Science, 27 Jan. 2020
Cut the notches with a dado blade in the table saw, or lay out each notch and use a jigsaw to remove the waste.
—Rick Peters, Popular Mechanics, 1 May 2016
Mark the positions of compartment dividers across the width of the bin walls, and cut the dadoes in them.
—Roy Berendson, Popular Mechanics, 21 Mar. 2018
Clean up the bottom of each dado with a 1/4-inch chisel.
—Roy Berendson, Popular Mechanics, 21 Mar. 2018
Avantika Chilkoti, WSJ, 24 Dec. 2018
Photo: dado ruvic/Reuters That happened shortly after Italy’s new populist government spooked investors with plans to allow more government spending, which could trigger a clash with other governments, notably Germany’s.
—Daniel Kruger, WSJ, 6 June 2018
Photo: dado ruvic/Reuters In March, Mastercard joined with International Business Machines Corp. IBM -0.30% to set up an external trust that will hold and anonymize the data, so Mastercard has no ability to reidentify individuals from it.
—Natalia Drozdiak, WSJ, 24 May 2018
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Noun
In the primary bedroom, the dado is covered in black diamond African fabric from Aissa Dione.
—Ian Phillips, Architectural Digest, 21 Mar. 2025
The 15-amp motor (3,600 RPM) is strong enough to saw through dado or other thick materials, and it’s got a T-square, three-point locking rip fence for even easier cutting.
—Barbara Bellesi Zito, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2023
Next, mill a dado near the bottom edge of each side piece that will accept the bottom.
—Paul Steiner, Popular Mechanics, 24 Mar. 2023
The box needed a bunch of rabbets, which are two-sided channels milled into the edge of a board (a dado is similar but has three sides).
—Paul Steiner, Popular Mechanics, 24 Mar. 2023
Start by cutting the dados and rabbets slightly too narrow and testing the fit.
—David Kaleko, Popular Science, 27 Jan. 2020
Cut the notches with a dado blade in the table saw, or lay out each notch and use a jigsaw to remove the waste.
—Rick Peters, Popular Mechanics, 1 May 2016
Mark the positions of compartment dividers across the width of the bin walls, and cut the dadoes in them.
—Roy Berendson, Popular Mechanics, 21 Mar. 2018
Clean up the bottom of each dado with a 1/4-inch chisel.
—Roy Berendson, Popular Mechanics, 21 Mar. 2018
Verb
Photo: dado ruvic/Reuters Political wagers remain a small part of the £14.4 billion U.K. gambling industry, which is dominated by people having a flutter on sports like soccer and horse-racing.
—Avantika Chilkoti, WSJ, 24 Dec. 2018
Photo: dado ruvic/Reuters That happened shortly after Italy’s new populist government spooked investors with plans to allow more government spending, which could trigger a clash with other governments, notably Germany’s.
—Daniel Kruger, WSJ, 6 June 2018
Photo: dado ruvic/Reuters In March, Mastercard joined with International Business Machines Corp. IBM -0.30% to set up an external trust that will hold and anonymize the data, so Mastercard has no ability to reidentify individuals from it.
—Natalia Drozdiak, WSJ, 24 May 2018
Cite this Entry
“Dado.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dado. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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