different between tribble vs dribble

English

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?t??bl?/
• Rhymes: -?b?l

Etymology 1

Unknown. The Century Dictionary suggests possibly a corruption of cribble (“sieve”).

Noun

tribble (plural tribbles)

1. A horizontal frame with wires stretched across it for drying paper.

Alternative forms

• treble

References

• tribble in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• tribble in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Etymology 2

Probably invented for alliteration with trouble; the creatures first appeared in an episode called "The Trouble with Tribbles".

Noun

tribble (plural tribbles)

1. A fictional alien creature in Star Trek, a fast-breeding, cooing ball of fur.

English

Etymology

drib +? -le (early modern English frequentative suffix)

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?d??.b?l/, /d??.bl?/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?d??.b??/, /?d??.b(?)l/
• Rhymes: -?b?l

Verb

dribble (third-person singular simple present dribbles, present participle dribbling, simple past and past participle dribbled)

1. (basketball, soccer) In various ball games, to move (with) the ball, controlling its path by kicking or bouncing it repeatedly
2. To let saliva drip from the mouth, to drool
3. To fall in drops or an unsteady stream, to trickle
4. (transitive) To let something fall in drips.
   • 1731, Jonathan Swift, Directions to Servants

     let her [the cook] follow him softly with a ladle full, and dribble it all the way up stairs to the dining-room

5. (dated) To live or pass one's time in a trivial fashion.
6. To perform a card flourish in which the cards fall smoothly from one's hand.

Descendants

• ? Czech: driblovat
• ? French: dribbler

Translations

Noun

dribble (countable and uncountable, plural dribbles)

1. (uncountable) Drool; saliva.
2. (countable) A weak, unsteady stream; a trickle.
3. (countable) A small amount of a liquid.
4. (countable, sports) The act of moving (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it.
5. (countable) A card flourish in which the cards fall smoothly from one's hand.

Translations

Related terms

• crossover dribble
• double dribble
• dribble glass
• dribble penetration
• dribbly
• kill one's dribble

Anagrams

• dibbler

French

Etymology

Borrowed from English dribble.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d?ibl/

Noun

dribble m (plural dribbles)

1. (sports) dribble

Verb

dribble

1. first-person singular present indicative of dribbler
2. third-person singular present indicative of dribbler
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of dribbler
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of dribbler
5. second-person singular imperative of dribbler

German

Verb

dribble

1. inflection of dribbeln:
   1. first-person singular present
   2. singular imperative
   3. first/third-person singular subjunctive I