dubbing

UK: /ˈdʌbɪŋ/ US: (dub′ing)

From the verb dub: (⇒ conjugate)

dubbing is: ⓘ

v pres p

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

dub•bing¹  (dub′ing), n. 

1. the conferring of knighthood;
   accolade.
2. Sport [Angling.] the material used for the body of an artificial fly.
3. dubbin.

• 1250–1300; Middle English; see dub¹, -ing¹

dub•bing²  (dub′ing), n. 

1. Sound Reproduction the act or process of furnishing a film or tape with a new sound track or adding music, sound effects, etc., to an existing one.

• dub⁴ + -ing¹ 1925–30

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dubbing / ˈdʌbɪŋ/ noun

1. the replacement of a soundtrack in one language by one in another language
2. the combination of several soundtracks into a single track
3. the addition of a soundtrack to a film or broadcast

dubbing / ˈdʌbɪŋ/ noun

1. hair or fur spun on waxed silk and added to the body of an artificial fly to give it shape
2. a variant of dubbin

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

dub¹ /dʌb/   v. [~ + object + object] , dubbed, dub•bing, 

1. to give a name, nickname, or title:
   He was dubbed a hero.
2. to make or designate (someone) a knight by lightly touching him on the shoulder with a sword:
   I dub thee Sir Lancelot.

dub•ber, n. [countable]

dub⁴ /dʌb/   v. [~ + object] , dubbed, dub•bing. 

1. Sound Reproduction to furnish (a film or tape) with a new soundtrack:
   The movie was poorly dubbed.
2. Sound Reproduction to add (music, etc.) to a recording:
   dubbed in the music.

dub•ber, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

dub¹  (dub), v., dubbed, dub•bing, 
v.t. 

1. to invest with any name, character, dignity, or title;
   style;
   name;
   call:
   He was dubbed a hero.
2. to strike lightly with a sword in the ceremony of conferring knighthood;
   make, or designate as, a knight:
   The king dubbed him a knight.
3. to strike, cut, rub, or make smooth, as leather or timber.
4. dub bright, [Shipbuilding.] to shave off the outer surface of the planking of (a ship).

• Old Low Franconian *dubban to strike, beat, cognate with Low German dubben, dub³; compare daube
• Anglo-French dubber, dobber, douber, aphetic form of ad(o)uber, equivalent. to a- a-⁵ + -do(u)ber
• Middle English dubben, late Old English *dubbian (in phrase dubbade tō ridere dubbed to knight(hood)), 1175–1225

dub′ber, n. 

dub²  (dub), n. [Slang.]

1. Slang Terms an awkward, unskillful person.

• of expressive origin, originally, compare flub, flubdub, dub³ 1885–90

dub³  (dub), v., dubbed, dub•bing, n. 
v.t. 

1. to thrust;
   poke.
2. Sport [Golf.] to hit (a ball) poorly;
   misplay (a shot).
3. to execute poorly.

v.i. 

4. to thrust;
   poke.

n. 

5. a thrust;
   poke.
6. Music and Dance a drumbeat.

• apparently same word (with older sense) as dub¹ 1505–15

dub⁴  (dub), v., dubbed, dub•bing, n. 
v.t. 

1. Sound Reproduction to furnish (a film or tape) with a new sound track, as one recorded in the language of the country of import.
2. Sound Reproduction to add (music, speech, etc.) to a film or tape recording (often fol. by in).
3. Sound Reproduction to copy (a tape or disc recording).

v.i. 

4. Sound Reproduction to copy program material from one tape recording onto another.
5. Sound Reproduction dub out, to omit or erase (unwanted sound) on a tape or sound track:
   to dub out background noise.

n. 

6. Sound Reproduction the new sounds added to a film or tape.

• short for double 1925–30

dub′ber, n.

dub⁵  (dub), n. [Chiefly Scot.]

1. Scottish Terms a pool of water;
   puddle.

• 1490–1500; of obscure origin, originally; perh. akin to German Tümpel pond, puddle

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

dub•bin  (dub′in), n. 

1. Clothing a mixture of tallow and oil used in dressing leather.

Also, dubbing. 

• variant of dubbing 1815–25

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dub / dʌb/ verb (dubs, dubbing, dubbed)

1. (transitive) to invest (a person) with knighthood by the ritual of tapping on the shoulder with a sword
2. (transitive) to invest with a title, name, or nickname
3. (transitive) to dress (leather) by rubbing
4. to dress (a fly)

noun

1. the sound of a drum

Etymology: Old English dubbian; related to Old Norse dubba to dub a knight, Old High German tubili plug, peg

dub / dʌb/ verb (dubs, dubbing, dubbed)

1. to alter the soundtrack of (an old recording, film, etc)
2. (transitive) to substitute for the soundtrack of (a film) a new soundtrack, esp in a different language
3. (transitive) to provide (a film or tape) with a soundtrack
4. (transitive) to alter (a taped soundtrack) by removing some parts and exaggerating others

noun

1. the new sounds added
2. a style of record production associated with reggae, involving the removal or exaggeration of instrumental parts, extensive use of echo, etc
3. (as modifier): a dub mix

Etymology: 20th Century: shortened from double

dub / dʌb/ verb (dubs, dubbing, dubbed)

1. 
   short for double-bank

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dubbin / ˈdʌbɪn/, dubbing noun

1. a greasy mixture of tallow and oil applied to leather to soften it and make it waterproof

Etymology: 18th Century: from dub to dress leather; see dub¹