Definition of dribble
dribbled
;dribbling
play \-(ə-)liŋ\transitive verb
1 : to issue sporadically and in small bits
2 : to let or cause to fall in drops little by little
3a : to propel by successive slight taps or bounces with hand, foot, or stick dribble a basketball dribble a puckb : to hit (a ball) without much force so that it bounces slowly along the ground
intransitive verb
1 : to fall or flow in drops or in a thin intermittent stream : trickle
2 : to let saliva trickle from the corner of the mouth : drool
3 : to come or issue in piecemeal or desultory fashion
4a : to dribble a ball or puckb : to proceed by dribblingc of a ball : to move with short bounces
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Examples of dribble in a Sentence
Juice dribbled down his chin.
She accidentally dribbled wine onto the rug.
Dribble olive oil over the warm bread before serving.
She dribbled across the basketball court.
He skillfully dribbled the soccer ball towards the goal.
Recent Examples of dribble from the Web
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Roldan knocked down a pass, dribbled past a defender and raced in alone on Worra, beating him to his right for a 4-3 Sounders lead.
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And yet some of the information that has dribbled out over the course of the day suggests even more than this.
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Sensing a hint of separation, Isaac dribbled left, stepped back and launched a high-arcing jumper from just inside the 3-point line.
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Time and time again, Mexico would get the ball into dangerous areas, only to dribble into traffic, or away from goal, or search in vain for a passing option that didn't arrive, or try a difficult ball forward that didn't connect.
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That was clear through Washington's assertive drives, both dribbling up court and into the paint.
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In the 78th minute, Martínez freed up Rennella with a through ball, which Rennella clung onto, dribbled past the goalkeeper with a ball roll and buried it home for his second goal of the night.
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Four others – Indianapolis, Charlotte, Raleigh and St. Louis – appear to be dribbling a flat soccer ball.
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Stefanovic dribbled around him from just outside the 3-point line on the wing, but stumbled going to the basket.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dribble.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of dribble
frequentative of drib to dribble
dribble
Definition of dribble
1 : a tiny or insignificant bit or quantity
2 : a small trickling stream or flow
3 : an act, instance, or manner of dribbling a ball or puck
Examples of dribble in a Sentence
He wiped a dribble of juice from the corner of the baby's mouth.
She gave the ball a dribble before passing it.
Recent Examples of dribble from the Web
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Playing alongside Ben Simmons, Fultz should give Philadelphia another creative player off the dribble, as well as a shooter and athlete to pair with Simmons, who is expected to do a lot of ballhandling despite being 6-foot-10.
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Jones has also worked getting stronger in the weight room and back on the court, shooting off the dribble.
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Part of the reason Fultz can rack up points is due to his ability to create space off the dribble.
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My preference is a dribble-drive offense and playing from the inside out.
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Strengths: Jackson is a clever scorer who prefers to play downhill but has a little bit of shake off the dribble.
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When a digital infusion pump releases the first dribble of liquid through a plastic tube and into her vein, Marks’s body goes limp.
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Markelle Fultz, Washington: Great speed dribble and penetration skills.
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With their crowd hanging on every dribble, pass and shot, the Cavaliers came out flying.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dribble.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of dribble
circa 1680
DRIBBLE Defined for English Language Learners
dribble
playDefinition of dribble for English Language Learners
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: to fall or flow in small drops
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: to let (a liquid) fall in small drops
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: to let saliva or another liquid drip or trickle from your mouth
dribble
Definition of dribble for English Language Learners
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: a small flow of liquid
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: an act of moving a ball or puck forward by tapping, bouncing, or kicking it
DRIBBLE Defined for Kids
Definition of dribble for Students
dribbled
;dribbling
1 : to fall or let fall in small drops : trickle Water dribbled out of the crack.
2 : to let saliva or other liquid drip or trickle from the mouth
3 : to move forward by bouncing, tapping, or kicking dribble a basketball
Definition of dribble for Students
1 : a trickling flow
2 : the act of moving a ball or puck forward by bouncing, kicking, or tapping it
Learn More about dribble
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See words that rhyme with dribble Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for dribble Spanish Central: Translation of dribble Nglish: Translation of dribble for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of dribble for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dribble
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