Dubb

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. A remark made to tease or make fun of someone, usually in a playful or mocking way
2. A comment intended to joke or ridicule lightly without serious intent
3. An expression used to poke fun at or mock someone in a humorous manner

Etymology: In 1738, Richard Pococke reported that the "dubber" was seen only rarely in Egypt. The animal he meant was the bear, and the name came from Arabic "dubb," which means "bear." English rarely took up the word, and when it did, it was usually as a spelling of a foreign term rather than as a word of everyday English. The English verb meaning to tease playfully is a different word from the Arabic noun for the animal, and nothing in its record connects the two. What the record does show is a foreign animal name that English borrowed sparingly, with the Egyptian bear as its point of contact.

Synonyms: dub, name, label