dab

For the last few days, smack dab in the middle of his long-awaited breakthrough at USC, Arenas was sick.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2026

Already in her still relatively short career, Elle Fanning has managed to position herself smack dab in the center of these two polarities, the perfect combination of classic Hollywood and new age celebrity.

From Salon ● Jan. 24, 2026

Learning from England mistakes in Perth and his own previous troubles in Australia, Root barely scored through the covers and largely put away any intention to dab the ball behind square on the off side.

From BBC ● Dec. 4, 2025

That extra dab of guacamole on a burrito is likely to cost more in coming days.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 4, 2025

There were even a few of Penelope’s exact favorite type of sandwich: cheddar cheese with thinly sliced apple and a dab of mustard.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

Those low-risk dabs and flicks, nudges and nurdles, were valuable to England on a pitch which required a batter to play the percentages.

From BBC ● Jan. 24, 2026

We’re not talking about traditional formulaic “landscapes” of yore — SoCal tract homes swathed in lawns edged with nondescript shrubs and dabs of annual color bought at big-box nurseries.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2025

Martha Stewart doesn't do warts, but Cutler edits a wry irony into the artful coverage she dabs on her blemishes, like her refusal to count her marital infidelity as equivalent to that of her husband.

From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2024

A selection of all white suits, jackets and lace dresses also featured in the spring/summer 2024 collection, as did dabs of leopard print on shiny macs and dresses.

From Reuters ● Sep. 23, 2023

She rinses and dabs around the inside of my mouth, removing the residue and remnants.

From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day

In another, a grey-haired woman laid one hand atop the coffin while she dabbed her eyes with a tissue.

From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026

In the rear open kitchen, Manon Fleury turned humble winter produce into memorable dishes: Fried sweet-potato threads mimicked a mini funnel cake, dabbed with loquat jam.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 14, 2026

She dabbed some oil on the inside of my wrists — a special concoction her mother Diane makes called Wolf Oil, which you can buy at the collective for $45.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 8, 2025

It was a buccaneering innings full of trademark shots square of the wicket as he cut, dabbed, pulled and effortlessly flicked his way to three figures.

From BBC ● Dec. 7, 2024

“Lumawoo happy,” Beowulf observed as he dabbed at his watercolors.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

We see through her eyes an assistant dabbing moisturizer on her hand, art installers asking where she wants a large sculpture, a man cleaning her pool who greets her.

From Salon ● Jul. 2, 2026

She coped by dabbing at her face with a small navy blue towel that magically appeared from under the table.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 11, 2025

“He never told anyone what to say,” she said, occasionally dabbing her eyes with a tissue as she spoke.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2025

"You have given him the best birthday gift he could ever have," she said, dabbing away tears and occasionally pausing to collect herself.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2025

“Maybe we should wait for Kainene to visit so she can talk to your father instead, nne?” her mother said, dabbing at her eyes again.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie