dibbles

Noun (1)

dibble (plural dibbles)

1. A pointed implement used to make holes in the ground in which to set out plants or to plant seeds.
   • Pol[ixenes] Then make you[r] Garden rich in Gilly'vors, / And do not call them baſtards. / Per[dita] Ile not put / The Dible in earth, to ſet one ſlip of them: […]c. 1610–1611, William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies, London: Printed by Isaac...

   Synonyms:

   dibbler, dibber, dib

Noun (2)

dibble (countable and uncountable, plural dibbles)

1. (UK, countable, slang) A police officer, especially one serving with Greater Manchester Police.
   • Remember this story about police hunting a metal detector enthusiast suspected of digging 20 holes in a school playing field in Cornwall? It’s taken a rather unusual twist. Pop superstar Robbie Williams appears to have ’fessed up to the crime. The former Take That star, who is a keen metal...2016 May 12, “maxc73”, “Robbie Williams ‘confesses’ to digging holes in school’s playing field”, in The Herald, Plymouth, Devon, archived from the original on 16 Mar 2017

   Synonyms:

   police officer

2. (UK, slang, uncountable) Preceded by the: the police.
   • Watch out, lads! Here comes the dibble!

See all 7 meanings of dibble