ENGLISH
REFERENCE

dribble

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈdɹɪbəɫ// UK //dɹˈɪbəl// drib·ble Archaic Informal

v. to move a ball forward by hitting it or kicking it many times. In basketball, you bounce the ball; in soccer, you use your feet to keep it close while you run.

v. to advance a ball by means of repeated small kicks or bounces. In basketball, the action is performed with the hand; in association football, it involves controlled touches with the feet while maintaining possession.


SIMPLE

He learned to dribble the ball with his left hand.

CONTEXTUAL

The striker managed to dribble past three defenders before taking a shot at the goal.

COMPLEX

Elite players demonstrate exceptional close control, allowing them to dribble through congested areas of the pitch without losing momentum or sight of their teammates' positions.

Synonyms
Origin

From drib + -le (frequentative suffix).

Usage

The verb is transitive when referring to the ball and intransitive when describing the player's movement.

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