dibs

• (UK) IPA^(key): /dɪbz/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪbz

Since the early 19th century, of disputed origin. Most commonly thought to be from dibstones (“counters used in a game with the same name”). Also from dib (“to tap”) or related to northern English dip (“small depression in the ground”), or a shortened version of divide.

dibs (uncountable)

1. (informal) The right to use or enjoy something exclusively or before anyone else.

   I call dibs on the hammock!

   Who's got dibs on the chips?

   • 2011 March 23, “We asked mayoral candidates: Do you support 'dibs' on parking spots?”, in Chicago Sun-Times:

     Del Valle has the blessing of a garage, so he doesn't have to claim “dibs” on shoveled street spots himself, he said.

   • 2012 February 16, “Our View: Public Employees Bill of Rights Act all wrong”, in Appeal-Democrat:

     It aims to give unionized California government workers "more workplace discipline protections and first dibs on state government work," as the Sacramento Bee put it.

• bags (Australia, New Zealand, Ireland)

• first dibs

dibs

1. (informal) Used to claim this right

dibs (third-person singular simple present dibses, present participle dibsing, simple past and past participle dibsed)

1. (informal) To claim a temporary right to (something); to reserve.

• (to reserve): bagsy (UK), bags (Australia)

From Arabic دِبْس (dibs).

dibs (uncountable)

1. (dated) A sweet preparation or treacle of grape juice, much used in the East.
   • 1874, John William Kirton, The Temperance Hand-Book:

     Besides what is thus consumed, the village makes about 180,000 pounds of raisins , one third of which is for home consumption , and about 24,000 pounds of dibs, ( grape molasses , ) all of which is for home use

dibs

1. plural of dib
2. (obsolete) A child's game, played with dib bones or stones, throwing them up from one's palm and catching them on the back of the hand.
3. (slang, archaic) Money.
   • 1897, The Investors Review, volume 10, page 310:

     Get hold of the dibs, says he, and then you are bound to be right.

• (money): 2017, Tony Crowley, The Liverpool English Dictionary (page 76)

• BIDS, IDBs, bids