drib
UK[drɪb]US[drɪb]
v
To fall or let fall in small drops or a slow trickle.
v
(Chiefly in sports) To move a ball forward with repeated slight touches or bounces.
Etymology
'Drib' is a rare verb formed in the 18th century by removing the frequentative suffix '-le' from the more common word 'dribble'. 'Dribble' itself originates from the obsolete English verb 'drib' or 'drip', which is likely of imitative origin, echoing the sound or visual effect of liquid falling in small drops. This onomatopoeic root connects to a family of words like 'drip' and 'drop', all sharing a core concept of falling in small, discrete units. Over time, the semantic field expanded metaphorically from liquids to describe the controlled, incremental advancement of a ball in sports, maintaining the core idea of movement in small, repeated amounts.
Analysis
The word 'drib' is a back-formation from 'dribble'. As a simplex form, it is not productively segmented into smaller, independent morphemes within modern English spelling.
Examples
Rain began to drib down the windowpane.
The player managed to drib past two defenders before taking a shot.
A little syrup dribbed from the corner of the pancake.