drab
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drab 1
(drăb)adj. drab·ber, drab·best
1.
a. Of a dull grayish to yellowish brown.
b. 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.
drab 2
(drăb)n.
1. A slovenly woman; 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 Irish Gaelic drabóg, slattern) or from Dutch drab, dregs.]
drab 3
(drăb)n.
A negligible amount: finished the work in dribs and drabs.
[Probably alteration of drib.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
drab
(dræb)adj, drabber or drabbest
1. dull; dingy; shabby
2. cheerless; dreary: a drab evening.
3. (Colours) of the colour drab
n
4. (Colours) a light olive-brown colour
5. (Textiles) a fabric of a dull grey or brown colour
[C16: from Old French drap cloth, from Late Latin drappus, perhaps of Celtic origin]
ˈdrably adv
ˈdrabness n
drab
(dræb)n
1. a slatternly woman
2. (Professions) a whore
vb, drabs, drabbing or drabbed
(intr) to consort with prostitutes
[C16: of Celtic origin; compare Scottish Gaelic drabag]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
drab1
(dræb)adj. drab•ber, drab•best,
n. adj.
1. lacking in brightness, spirit, etc.; dull.
2. of the color drab.
n. 3. a brownish gray.
4. fabric of this color, esp. of thick wool or cotton.
[1535–45; < Middle French drap < Late Latin drappus piece of cloth]
drab′ly, adv.
drab′ness, n.
drab2
(dræb)n., v. drabbed, drab•bing. n.
1. a slatternly woman.
2. a prostitute.
v.i. 3. to associate with drabs.
[1505–15]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
drab
Past participle: drabbed
Gerund: drabbing
| Imperative |
|---|
| drab |
| drab |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. | drab - a dull greyish to yellowish or light olive brown olive - a yellow-green color of low brightness and saturation |
| Adj. | 1. | drab - 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" dull - lacking in liveliness or animation; "he was so dull at parties"; "a dull political campaign"; "a large dull impassive man"; "dull days with nothing to do"; "how dull and dreary the world is"; "fell back into one of her dull moods" |
| 2. | drab - lacking brightness or color; dull; "drab faded curtains"; "sober Puritan grey"; "children in somber brown clothes" colorless, colourless - weak in color; not colorful | |
| 3. | drab - of a light brownish green color chromatic - being or having or characterized by hue | |
| 4. | drab - 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" cheerless, depressing, uncheerful - causing sad feelings of gloom and inadequacy; "the economic outlook is depressing"; "something cheerless about the room"; "a moody and uncheerful person"; "an uncheerful place" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
drab
adjective dull, grey, gloomy, dismal, dreary, shabby, sombre, lacklustre, flat, dingy, colourless, uninspired, vapid, cheerless his drab little office
bright, colourful, vivid, cheerful, vibrant, jazzy (informal)
bright, colourful, vivid, cheerful, vibrant, jazzy (informal)
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
drab
adjective2. Lacking liveliness, charm, or surprise:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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Spanish / Español
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
drab
(drӕb) adjective dull and uninteresting, especially in colour. drab clothes.apagado, soso, sin gracia, gris
ˈdrably adverb apagadamente
ˈdrabness noun falta de gracia
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
drab
→ sosoMultilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009