different between dabble vs foray

English

Etymology

From earlier dable, equivalent to dab +? -le (frequentative suffix), possibly from Middle Dutch dabbelen (“to pinch; knead; to fumble; to dabble”); cognate with Icelandic dafla (“to dabble”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?dæb(?)l/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?dæb?l/
• Rhymes: -æb?l
• Hyphenation: dab?ble

Verb

dabble (third-person singular simple present dabbles, present participle dabbling, simple past and past participle dabbled)

1. (transitive) To make slightly wet or soiled by spattering or sprinkling a liquid (such as water, mud, or paint) on it; to bedabble. [from late 16th c.]
2. (transitive) To cause splashing by moving a body part like a bill or limb in soft mud, water, etc., often playfully; to play in shallow water; to paddle.
3. (intransitive, figuratively) To participate or have an interest in an activity in a casual or superficial way.
4. (intransitive, obsolete) To interfere or meddle in; to tamper with.

Synonyms

• (to make slightly wet or soiled): bespatter, besprinkle, spatter

Derived terms

• bedabble
• dabbler
• dabblesome
• dabbling (noun)
• dabbling duck

Translations

See also

• dribble

Noun

dabble (plural dabbles)

1. A spattering or sprinkling of a liquid.
2. An act of splashing in soft mud, water, etc.
3. An act of participation in an activity in a casual or superficial way.

Translations

References

• John A. Simpson and Edward S. C. Weiner, editors (1989) , “dabble, v.”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, volume IV (Creel–Duzepere), 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, ?ISBN, page 207, columns 2–3

English

Alternative forms

• forrey (15th century)

Etymology

From Middle English forrayen (“to pillage”), a back-formation of forrayour, forreour, forrier (“raider, pillager”), from Old French forrier, fourrier, a derivative of fuerre (“provender, fodder, straw”), from Frankish *f?dar (“fodder, sheath”), from Proto-Germanic *f?dr? (“fodder, feed, sheath”), from Proto-Indo-European *patrom (“fodder”), *pat- (“to feed”), *p?y- (“to guard, graze, feed”). Cognate with Old High German fuotar (German Futter (“fodder, feed”)), Old English f?dor, f?þor (“food, fodder, covering, case, basket”), Dutch voeder (“forage, food, feed”), Danish foder (“fodder, feed”), Icelandic fóður (“fodder, sheath”). More at fodder, food, forage.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?f?.?e?/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?f???.e?/
• Rhymes: -e?

Noun

foray (plural forays)

1. A sudden or irregular incursion in border warfare; hence, any irregular incursion for war or spoils; a raid.
2. A brief excursion or attempt, especially outside one's accustomed sphere.

Translations

Verb

foray (third-person singular simple present forays, present participle foraying, simple past and past participle forayed)

1. (transitive) To scour (an area or place) for food, treasure, booty etc.
2. (intransitive) To pillage; to ravage.

Translations