Dibbing

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Making small holes in soil with a pointed tool so seeds or seedlings can be planted ; lowering bait or an object briefly into water to catch fish
2. Pushing a pointed stick into the ground to create planting holes ; briefly submerging something such as bait into a liquid
3. The act of poking planting holes into earth with a pointed implement ; repeatedly dipping bait or a light object into water to tempt fish

Etymology: "Dibbing" is the -ing form of "dib," a verb for making a small hole in soil for a seed or seedling, often with a pointed tool called a dibber. The verb is thought to be a variant of "dip" and/or "dab," and the sense fits both: a dibber dips into the ground, and each push leaves a neat dab-sized hole. The pairing of "dip" and "dab" is a reminder that English words often blend neighbours in sound and sense. Gardeners have used the term for generations, so the word's core meaning has stayed close to its physical origin: pressing something into earth, then moving on to the next spot.

Synonyms: dibbling, planting