drab
pronunciation
How to pronounce drab in British English:
UK [dræb]
How to pronounce drab in American English:
US [dræb]
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- Adjective:
- lacking in liveliness or charm or surprise
- lacking brightness or color; dull
- depressing in character or appearance
Word Origin
- drab
- drab: [16] Drab is a variant of the now obsolete form drap, which was borrowed from Old French drap ‘cloth’ (source also of English drape, draper, and trappings). It was originally a noun meaning ‘cloth’ in English too, but the beginnings of its transition to the modern English adjective meaning ‘faded and dull’ can be seen in the 17th century.The word came to be used particularly for natural undyed cloth, of a dull yellowish-brown colour, and hence for the colour itself (an application best preserved in the olive-drab colour of American service uniforms). The figurative development to ‘dull and faded’ is a comparatively recent one, first recorded a little over a hundred years ago.=> drape, trappings
- drab (n.)
- 1680s, "color of natural, undyed cloth," from Middle French drap "cloth, piece of cloth" (see drape (v.)). Figurative sense is c. 1880. Apparently not related to earlier word drab, meaning "a dirty, untidy woman" (1510s), "a prostitute" (1520s), which might be related to Irish drabog, Gaelic drabag "dirty woman," or perhaps it is connected with Low German drabbe "dirt;" compare drabble (Middle English drabelen) "to soil (something); trail in the mud or on the ground" (c. 1400). Ultimately perhaps from PIE *dher- (1) "to make muddy." Meaning "small, petty debt" (the sense in dribs and drabs) is 1828, of uncertain connection to the other senses.
Example
- 1. After a while , there is a dispiritingly drab sameness about their stories .
- 2. They no longer huddle in drab hotels and endure maoist standards of food and service .
- 3. At beijing 's friendship hotel - " russian-designed , drab , grim , grey-like a prison " - the managers had kindly laid on a disco for their distinguished guests .
- 4. Many chinese cities are drab facsimiles of each other , beset by clogged roads , dirty air , hastily built apartment blocks , monolithic government buildings and few green spaces .
- 5. The euphrates , once broad and endlessly green , is now narrow and drab .