daub

Etymology

From Middle English daub (noun), from Middle English dauben (“to plaster or whitewash; cover with clay; bespatter”, verb), from Old Northern French dauber (“to whitewash; plaster”), of uncertain origin. Probably from Latin dealbāre (“to whiten thoroughly”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /dɔːb/
• (US) IPA^(key): /dɔb/, /dɑb/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔːb

Noun

daub (countable and uncountable, plural daubs)

1. Excrement or clay used as a bonding material in construction (compare wattle and daub).
2. A soft coating of mud, plaster, etc.
3. A crude or amateurish painting.

Verb

daub (third-person singular simple present daubs, present participle daubing, simple past and past participle daubed)

1. (intransitive) To apply (something) to a surface in hasty or crude strokes.

   The artist just seemed to daub on paint at random and suddenly there was a painting.

2. (transitive) To apply something to (a surface) in hasty or crude strokes.
   • Bible, Exodus ii. 3

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

3. (transitive) To paint (a picture, etc.) in a coarse or unskilful manner.
   • I. Watts

     If a picture is daubed with many bright and glaring colours, the vulgar admire it as an excellent piece.

   • Dryden

     a lame, imperfect piece, rudely daubed over

4. To cover with a specious or deceitful exterior; to disguise; to conceal.
   • Shakespeare

     So smooth he daubed his vice with show of virtue.

5. To flatter excessively or grossly.
   • Smollett

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

6. To put on without taste; to deck gaudily.
   • Dryden

     Let him be daubed with lace.

See also

• dab

Anagrams

• Buda, abud, baud