dibble

UK: /ˈdɪb^əl/ US: /ˈdɪbəl/ ,(dib′əl)

Inflections of 'dibble' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

dibbles

v 3rd person singular

dibbling

v pres p

dibbled

v past

dibbled

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

dib•ble /ˈdɪbəl/   n., v., -bled, -bling. 
n. [countable]

1. Botany Also, dib•ber /ˈdɪbɚ/.  a small, hand-held, pointed tool for making holes in soil, such as for planting seedlings and bulbs.

v. [~ + object]

2. Botany to make holes (in soil) with a dibble:
   Dibble the soil before planting.
3. Botany to plant with a dibble.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

dib•ble  (dib′əl), n., v., -bled, -bling. 
n. 

Also, dib•ber  (dib′ər). a small, hand-held, pointed implement for making holes in soil for planting seedlings, bulbs, etc.

v.t. 

1. Botany to make a hole (in the ground) with or as if with a dibble.
2. Botany to set (plants) in holes made with a dibble.

v.i. 

3. Botany to work with a dibble.

• late Middle English, perh. akin to dib 1325–75

dib′bler, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dibble / ˈdɪb^əl/ noun

1. Also called (esp Brit): dibber / ˈdɪbə/ a small hand tool used to make holes in the ground for planting or transplanting bulbs, seeds, or roots

verb

1. to make a hole in (the ground) with a dibble
2. to plant (bulbs, seeds, etc) with a dibble

Etymology: 15th Century: of obscure origin

dibble / ˈdɪb^əl/ verb (intransitive)

1. a less common word for dabble