The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Dabble \Dab"ble\, v. i.
   1. To play in water, as with the hands; to paddle or splash
      in mud or water.
      [1913 Webster]

            Where the duck dabbles 'mid the rustling sedge.
                                                  --Wordsworth.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To work in slight or superficial manner; to do in a small
      way; to tamper; to meddle. "Dabbling here and there with
      the text." --Atterbury.
      [1913 Webster]

            During the first year at Dumfries, Burns for the
            first time began to dabble in politics. --J. C.
                                                  Shairp.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Dabble \Dab"ble\ (d[a^]b"b'l), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dabbled
   (d[a^]b"b'ld); p. pr. & vb. n. Dabbling (d[a^]b"bl[i^]ng).]
   [Freq. of dab: cf. OD. dabbelen.]
   To wet by little dips or strokes; to spatter; to sprinkle; to
   moisten; to wet. "Bright hair dabbled in blood." --Shak.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

dabble
    v 1: dip a foot or hand briefly into a liquid
    2: play in or as if in water, as of small children [syn:
       dabble, paddle, splash around]
    3: work with in an amateurish manner; "She dabbles in
       astronomy"; "He plays around with investments but he never
       makes any money" [syn: dabble, smatter, play around]
    4: bob forward and under so as to feed off the bottom of a body
       of water; "dabbling ducks"