General
dab
What does dab mean?
Of a person, untrustworthy or dishonest — a 'dab' customer or dealer to be wary of.
"Watch him, he's a dab one, short-changes you given half a chance."
Origin
Cockney costermonger back-slang of the 1840s ('bad' reversed), the everyday quality-judgement term in the coded vocabulary documented by Mayhew (1851) and Hotten (1859). Note this back-slang 'dab' is distinct from the older English 'dab hand' (expert), which is unrelated.
Frequently asked questions
What does dab mean in back-slang?
It means bad — 'bad' reversed in Cockney costermonger back-slang, said of spoiled goods, poor days or dodgy people.
Is this the same as 'dab hand'?
No — 'dab hand' meaning an expert is a separate, older English idiom and is not related to this back-slang 'dab' for 'bad'.
Where did back-slang 'dab' come from?
From 1840s London street sellers' back-slang, documented by Mayhew and Hotten in the mid-19th century.
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