DictionarydribbleBall control
verb / noun

dribble

Moving a ball with repeated light taps or bounces.

Maya dribbles the basketball down the court toward the basket.

Etymology

The sporting verb borrows the idea of movement in small successive portions. A player advances the ball through repeated taps or bounces rather than one long strike.

More examples

  • The soccer players practice dribbling between cones.
  • A quick dribble takes him past the defender.
  • She dribbled around two defenders and passed to her teammate.

Forms

dribble · dribbles · dribbled · dribbling

dribbler noun — Player controlling a ball with repeated touches.

Similar words

bounce
Emphasizes rebounding off a surface, not necessarily controlled movement.
tap
Describes a light contact, not necessarily repeated ball control.