daub

Noun · Verb
US[dawb]/dɔb/1 syllable
Synonyms: smudgespotblotsmearsmirchslurplaster

Open English WordNet

Noun (3)

  1. material used to daub wallsType of clay
  2. a blemish made by dirt“he had a smudge on his cheek”Synonyms: smudgespotblotsmearsmirchslurType of blemish, defectKinds blotch, fingermark, inkblot
  3. an unskillful paintingType of painting, picture

Verb (3)daubed, daubing

  1. coat with plaster“daub the wall”Synonyms: plasterMore general coat, surfaceMore specific mortar, mud, parget, roughcast, render-set
  2. apply to a surface“daub paint onto the wall”More general put on, applySimilar smear, plaster
  3. cover (a surface) by smearing (a substance) over it“smear the wall with paint”“daub the ceiling with plaster”Synonyms: smearMore general coverMore specific blood

Related words plaster verb, blur verb, smear verb, plaster noun, plasterer noun, daubing noun, dauber noun

Word of the day · Oct 10About this word
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What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz

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Webster's Dictionary (1913)

Daub (da̤b), transitive verb [past tense & past participle Daubed; present participle & verbal noun Daubing.]

Origin: OE. dauben to smear, OF. dauber to plaster, fr. L. dealbare to whitewash, plaster; de- + albare to whiten, fr. albus white, perh. also confused with W. dwb plaster, dwbio to plaster, Ir. & OGael. dob plaster. See Alb, and cf. Dealbate.

1. To smear with soft, adhesive matter, as pitch, slime, mud, etc.; to plaster; to bedaub; to besmear.

She took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch.— Ex. ii. 3.

2. To paint in a coarse or unskillful manner.

If a picture is daubed with many bright and glaring colors, the vulgar admire it is an excellent piece.— Isaac Watts
A lame, imperfect piece, rudely daubed over.— John Dryden

3. To cover with a specious or deceitful exterior; to disguise; to conceal.

So smooth he daubed his vice with show of virtue.— William Shakespeare

4. To flatter excessively or glossy. rare

I can safely say, however, that, without any daubing at all, I am very sincerely your very affectionate, humble servant.— Tobias George Smollett

5. To put on without taste; to deck gaudily. rare

Let him be daubed with lace.— John Dryden
Daub (da̤b), intransitive verb

To smear; to play the flatterer.

His conscience... will not daub nor flatter.— Robert South
Daub noun

1. A viscous, sticky application; a spot smeared or daubed; a smear.

2. Painting A picture coarsely executed.

Did you... take a look at the grand picture?... 'T is a melancholy daub, my lord.— Lawrence Sterne

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54

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