Word
dribble
Phoneticsdrib·ble
US/ˈdɹɪbəɫ/
UK/dɹˈɪbəl/
Definition
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.
Examples
“He learned to dribble the ball with his left hand.”
“The striker managed to dribble past three defenders before taking a shot at the goal.”
“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.”
Examples
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.”
Usage
The verb is transitive when referring to the ball and intransitive when describing the player's movement.
Real-World Examples
“Argentina’s Lionel Messi dribbles away from three Dutch players in the 2022 World Cup.” “Sánchez dribbled the ball behind for a corner at one point and was at fault for both Fulham goals.” Etymology
From drib + -le (frequentative suffix).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
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englishreference.com/q/dribble