Through its survival, dribs and drabs — scattered or sporadic amounts of something — contains some interesting etymological archaeology. Drib is known in some English, Irish and Scottish dialects from at least the eighteenth century, meaning an inconsiderable quantity or a drop and most probably is a variant form of drip or drop .
in dribs and drabs. in small portions bit by bit. I’ll have to pay you what I owe you in dribs and drabs. The whole story is being revealed in dribs and drabs. See also: and, drab, drib. McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
2/28/2021 · If people or things arrive in dribs and drabs, they arrive in small numbers over a period of time rather than arriving all together.
dribs and drabs. Small quantities. This phrase, dating from the early nineteenth century, consists of nouns that rarely appear elsewhere. Drib, originating in the early 1700s, probably alludes to “dribble” or “trickle” drab has meant a petty sum of money.
informal in dribs and drabs . In small scattered or sporadic amounts. More example sentences. ‘more folk followed in dribs and drabs ’. ‘These cuts are being announced in dribs and drabs to disguise the biggest cutbacks since the grim days of the 1980s.’. ‘Our warm-ups are properly organised, and get everyone totally prepared, whereas …
dribs and drabs. – First recorded in the 19th century both of the words mean small quantity or amount, making this an emphatic phrase. See also related terms for small quantity. Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, .
Dribs and drabs definition, small and usually irregular amounts: He repaid the loan in dribs and drabs. See more.
in small irregular amounts or numbers over a period of time The guests arrived in dribs and drabs. ? dribs and drabs Examples from the Corpus in dribs and drabs • The wedding guests were arriving in dribs and drabs. • He insisted on paying me back in dribs and drabs, five or ten dollars at a time.
Synonyms for dribs and drabs include bits and pieces, odds and ends, knickknacks, scraps, bric-a-brac, leftovers, stuff, bits and bobs, things and sundries. Find.
Through its survival, dribs and drabs — scattered or sporadic amounts of something — contains some interesting etymological archaeology. Drib is known in some English, Irish and Scottish dialects from at least the eighteenth century, meaning an inconsiderable quantity or a drop and most probably is a variant form of drip or drop.
