drab

¹

[ drab ]

adjective

, drab·ber, drab·best.

1. dull; cheerless; lacking in spirit, brightness, etc.
2. having the color drab.

noun

1. dull gray; dull brownish or yellowish gray.
2. any of several fabrics of this color, especially of thick wool or cotton.

drab

²

[ drab ]

noun

, Archaic.

1. a dirty, untidy woman; slattern.
2. a prostitute.

verb (used without object)

, drabbed, drab·bing.

1. to associate with drabs.

drab

¹

/ dræb /

adjective

1. dull; dingy; shabby
2. cheerless; dreary

   a drab evening

3. of the colour drab

noun

1. a light olive-brown colour
2. a fabric of a dull grey or brown colour

drab

²

/ dræb /

noun

1. a slatternly woman
2. a whore

verb

1. intr to consort with prostitutes

Derived Forms

• ˈdrabness, noun
• ˈdrably, adverb

Other Words From

• drably adverb
• drabness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of drab¹

1535–45; < Middle French drap < Late Latin drappus piece of cloth

Origin of drab²

First recorded in 1505–15; perhaps akin to Dutch drab “dregs, lees,” obsolete Dutch drablen “to run or tramp about”; drabble, draff

Word History and Origins

Origin of drab¹

C16: from Old French drap cloth, from Late Latin drappus, perhaps of Celtic origin

Origin of drab²

C16: of Celtic origin; compare Scottish Gaelic drabag

Idioms and Phrases

see dribs and drabs .

Example Sentences

“It took us two years to do 19 episodes. They would pick us up — six here, five there — in these little dribs and drabs. It was very, very difficult,” Herskovitz said.

From Los Angeles Times

Instead, visitors were confronted with an “abandoned and empty warehouse” filled with drab props, with actors reading from an AI-generated script.

From BBC

Fans booed towards the end of the contest, frustrated by the drab affair.

From BBC

Jenkins’ direction is serviceable at best and the style is drab rather than nostalgically worn.

From Los Angeles Times

Every time I think of my old idea of midlife — that dreary pasture full of drab linens — laughter bubbles out of me.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bleak
• desolate
• dingy
• dismal
• dreary
• gray
• lackluster
• muddy
• run down
• shabby
• somber