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drab
12 dictionary results for: drab
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
drab1       [drab] Pronunciation Key adjective, drab·ber, drab·best, noun
–adjective
1.dull; cheerless; lacking in spirit, brightness, etc.
2.having the color drab.
–noun
3.dull gray; dull brownish or yellowish gray.
4.any of several fabrics of this color, esp. of thick wool or cotton.
[Origin: 1535–45; < MF drap < LL drappus piece of cloth]

—Related forms
drably, adverb
drabness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
drab2       [drab] Pronunciation Key noun, verb, drabbed, drab·bing.
–noun
1.a dirty, untidy woman; slattern.
2.a prostitute.
–verb (used without object)
3.to associate with drabs.
[Origin: 1505–15; perh. akin to D drab dregs, lees, obs. D drablen to run or tramp about; cf. drabble, draff]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
drab 1       (drāb)  Pronunciation Key 
adj.   drab·ber, drab·best
    1. Of a dull grayish to yellowish brown.
    2. Of a light olive brown or khaki color.
  2. Faded and dull in appearance.
  3. Dull or commonplace in character; dreary: a drab personality. See Synonyms at dull.

n.  
  1. A dull grayish to yellowish or light olive brown.
  2. Cloth of this color or of an unbleached natural color.


[Alteration of obsolete French drap, cloth, from Old French; see drape.]

drab'ly adv., drab'ness n.
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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drab 2       (drāb)  Pronunciation Key 
n.  
  1. A slattern.
  2. A woman prostitute.

intr.v.   drabbed, drab·bing, drabs
To consort with prostitutes: "Even amid his drabbing, he himself retained some virginal airs" (Stanislaus Joyce).


[Possibly of Celtic origin; akin to Scottish Gaelic dràbag and Irish Gaelic drabóg, slattern, or from Dutch drab, dregs.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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drab 3       (drāb)  Pronunciation Key 
n.   A negligible amount: finished the work in dribs and drabs.


[Probably alteration of drib.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
drab 
1686, "color of natural, undyed cloth," from M.Fr. drap (see drape). Figurative sense is c.1880. Apparently not related to earlier word meaning "a dirty, untidy woman" (c.1515), "a prostitute" (c.1530), which seems to be connected with Ir. drabog, Gael. drabag "dirty woman," and perhaps with Low Ger. drabbe "dirt."

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
drab

adjective
1. lacking in liveliness or charm or surprise; "her drab personality"; "life was drab compared with the more exciting life style overseas"; "a series of dreary dinner parties" 
2. lacking brightness or color; dull; "drab faded curtains"; "sober Puritan grey"; "children in somber brown clothes" 
3. of a light brownish green color [syn: olive-drab] 
4. causing dejection; "a blue day"; "the dark days of the war"; "a week of rainy depressing weather"; "a disconsolate winter landscape"; "the first dismal dispiriting days of November"; "a dark gloomy day"; "grim rainy weather" 

noun
1. a dull greyish to yellowish or light olive brown [syn: olive drab] 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This

drab

see dribs and drabs.


The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Drab

Drab\, n. [AS. drabbe dregs, lees; akin to D. drab, drabbe, dregs, G. treber; for sense 1, cf. also Gael. drabag a slattern, drabach slovenly. Cf. Draff.]

1. A low, sluttish woman. --King.

2. A lewd wench; a strumpet. --Shak.

3. A wooden box, used in salt works for holding the salt when taken out of the boiling pans.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Drab

Drab\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Drabbed; p. pr. & vb. n. Drabbing.] To associate with strumpets; to wench. --Beau. & Fl.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Drab

Drab\, n. [F. drap cloth: LL. drappus, trapus, perh. orig., a firm, solid stuff, cf. F. draper to drape, also to full cloth; prob. of German origin; cf. Icel. drepa to beat, strike, AS. drepan, G. treffen; perh. akin to E. drub. Cf. Drape, Trappings.]

1. A kind of thick woolen cloth of a dun, or dull brownish yellow, or dull gray, color; -- called also drabcloth.

2. A dull brownish yellow or dull gray color.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Drab

Drab\, a. Of a color between gray and brown. -- n. A drab color.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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