Dab vs. Towel — What's the Difference?

Press against (something) lightly several times with a piece of absorbent material in order to clean or dry it or to apply a substance

A towel is a piece of absorbent fabric or paper used for drying or wiping a body or a surface. It draws moisture through direct contact.

Strike with a light blow.

A piece of thick absorbent cloth or paper used for drying oneself or wiping things dry

Perform a dance move or gesture in which one arm is bent at an angle across the chest while the other is fully extended parallel to the first arm, with the face turned towards the bent elbow

A sanitary towel.

A small amount of something

Wipe or dry with a towel

Fingerprints

Thrash or beat (someone)

A small, commercially important flatfish found chiefly in the North Atlantic.

A piece of absorbent cloth or paper used for wiping or drying.

A dance move or gesture, originating in hip hop and often performed as part of a celebration, in which one arm is bent at an angle across the upper chest while the other is fully extended parallel to the first arm, with the face turned towards the bent elbow

To wipe or rub dry with a towel.

To apply with short poking strokes

To dry oneself with a towel.

To cover lightly with a moist substance

A cloth used for wiping, especially one used for drying anything wet, such as a person after a bath.

To rub or pat (something) lightly

To hit with a towel.

To press (something) lightly against an object or surface

To dry by using a towel.

To remove or brush away with light strokes

(transitive) To block up (a door, etc.) with a towel, to conceal the fumes of a recreational drug.

To make light patting or stroking motions

To beat with a stick, or "oaken towel".

A small amount

A cloth used for wiping, especially one used for drying anything wet, as the person after a bath.

A quick light pat.

To beat with a stick.

Any of various flatfishes, especially the edible Limanda limanda of northeast Atlantic waters.

A rectangular piece of absorbent cloth (or paper) for drying or wiping

A dab hand.

Wipe with a towel;

(transitive) To press lightly in a repetitive motion with a soft object without rubbing.

(transitive) To apply a substance in this way.

To strike by a thrust; to hit with a sudden blow or thrust.

(slang) To apply hash oil to a heated surface for the purpose of efficient combustion.

To perform the dab dance move, by moving both arms to one side of the body parallel with your head.

A soft tap or blow; a blow or peck from a bird's beak; an aimed blow.

(AAVE) A soft, playful box given in greeting or approval.

A small amount, a blob of some soft or wet substance.

(slang) A small amount of hash oil.

Fingerprint.

(dance) A hip hop dance move in which the dancer simultaneously drops the head while raising an arm, briefly resting their face in the elbow, as if sneezing into their elbow.

(obsolete) A dabbler.

One skilful or proficient; an expert; an adept.

A small flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae, especially Limanda limanda; a flounder.

(US) A sand dab, a small flatfish of genus Citharichthys.

With a dab, or sudden contact.

Bad.

A skillful hand; a dabster; an expert.

A name given to several species of flounders, esp. to the European species, Pleuronectes limanda. The American rough dab is Hippoglossoides platessoides.

A gentle blow with the hand or some soft substance; a sudden blow or hit; a peck.

A small mass of anything soft or moist.

To strike or touch gently, as with a soft or moist substance; to tap; hence, to besmear with a dabber.

To strike by a thrust; to hit with a sudden blow or thrust.

A light touch or stroke

A small quantity of something moist or soft;

Apply (usually a liquid) to a surface;

Hit lightly;