General
dibs
What does dibs mean?
The winter practice of claiming a parking space you dug out of the snow by marking it with chairs, cones, or junk.
"Don't touch those chairs, that spot is dibs."
Origin
Chicago snow-parking tradition; from the general sense of 'calling dibs.'
Frequently asked questions
What does dibs mean in Chicago?
It refers to the winter custom of claiming a parking spot you shoveled out of the snow by marking it with lawn chairs, cones, or junk.
Where does the Chicago dibs tradition come from?
It grew from the general sense of 'calling dibs' on something, applied to hard-won parking spaces after heavy snowfall.
Is dibs on a parking spot legal in Chicago?
It is a widely honored local custom rather than a law, and ignoring someone's dibs can spark neighborhood disputes.
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Vocabulary Flow — saved to your collection.
