Hillbilly Slang

Authentic sayings, folk stories, and mountain wisdom.

dab

In Appalachian and Southern speech, a "dab" means a small amount of something - usually food, medicine, or something spread on. It’s a plain country way of saying "just a little bit."

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Pronunciation

[DAB]

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Meaning & Usage

- A small amount (noun)

In the kitchen
Mae:
How much lard you usin’?

Earl:
Oh, just a dab to grease the skillet.

- A little application (noun, figurative)

Doctorin’ at home
Mae:
What’d you put on that cut?

Earl:
A dab of salve - it’ll heal fine.

★ A "dab" isn’t exact, but in Southern kitchens everyone knows what it means: not much, just enough. ★

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