Dribs Meaning in English
word · lemma: drib
Definition
Small amounts or drops of something, often appearing irregularly or in a slow trickle. Usually used in the phrase 'dribs and drabs,' meaning small and irregular quantities.
Usage & Nuances
'Dribs' is almost always used with 'drabs' in the phrase 'dribs and drabs.' Rarely used alone in modern speech. Implies slow, irregular arrival of small amounts. Not formal.
Spanish: pocas cantidades - pequeñas dosisPortuguese (BR): pequenas quantidades - gotinhasPortuguese (PT): pequenas quantidades - gotinhasChinese (Simplified): 小滴 - 少量Chinese (Traditional): 小滴 - 少量Hindi: छोटी मात्रा - बूंदेंArabic: كميات صغيرة - قطراتBengali: আলাপে-আলাপে - অল্প অল্প করেRussian: понемногу - мелкими порциямиJapanese: 少しずつ - 断片的にVietnamese: từng chút một - lẻ tẻKorean: 조금씩 - 띄엄띄엄Turkish: parça parça - azar azarUrdu: آہستہ آہستہ - تھوڑا تھوڑاIndonesian: từng chút một - nhỏ giọt
Example Sentences
She received news in dribs throughout the day.
basic
The supplies came in dribs, not all at once like we hoped.
natural
Information trickled out in dribs, making it hard to get the full picture.
natural
The money came in dribs over several months.
basic
We finished the work in dribs because we had little help.
basic
We only get updates in dribs these days—you never know what's going on.
natural