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dub

v. · n.
US //ˈdəb// UK //dˈʌb// dub
  1. 1 to give a nickname (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to give someone or something a particular name or nickname.

    to confer a name, title, or nickname upon a person or thing. Transitive; often used in the passive voice.

    Example

    The media dubbed him the 'King of Pop' because of his huge success.

    Example

    The press quickly dubbed the new skyscraper 'The Shard' due to its distinctive glass exterior and sharp, angular peak.
  2. 2 to change film audio (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to replace the original speech in a film with a translation in another language.

    to provide a film or television programme with a new soundtrack, typically a synchronized translation of the original dialogue.

    Example

    I prefer watching foreign movies with subtitles rather than dubbed versions.

    Example

    The studio decided to dub the animated feature into twelve different languages to maximize its international box-office potential.
    • voice over
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  1. 3 to knight someone (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Formal

    to make someone a knight by touching their shoulders with a sword.

    to confer knighthood upon a person by the ceremonial tapping of the shoulder with a sword.

    Example

    The Queen dubbed the explorer a knight for his services to science.

    Example

    In a traditional ceremony, the monarch dubbed the veteran diplomat a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.
  2. 4 a win (n.)
    C1 Advanced Slang Informal

    a slang word for a victory or a win.

    a slang term for a victory, derived from the phonetic pronunciation of the letter 'W'.

    Example

    Our team played great today and we finally got the dub.

    Example

    After a grueling overtime period, the squad managed to secure the dub and advance to the regional finals.
Etymology 1

From Middle English dubben, from Old English dubbian (“to knight by striking with a sword, dub”) from Old French adober (“to equip with arms; adorn”) (also 11th century, Modern French adouber), both from Proto-West Germanic dubbōn, from Proto-Germanic dub- (“to hit, strike”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- (“plug, peg, wedge”). Cognate with Icelandic dubba (in dubba til riddara). Compare also drub for an English reflex of the Germanic word.

Etymology 2

1505-1515

Etymology 3

1885-90. Imitative; see also flub, flubdub.

Etymology 4

From a shortening of the word double.

Etymology 5

From Celtic; compare Irish dobhar (“water”), Welsh dŵr (“water”).

Etymology 6

From shortening of double dime (“twenty”).

Etymology 7

From dup (“to open”), from do + up, from Middle English don up (“to open”).

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