drab

• adj. 单调的；土褐色的
• n. 浅褐色；无生气；邋遢；小额
• vt. 使无生气
• vi. 嫖妓
• n. (Drab)人名；(匈)德劳布；(法)德拉布

来自drape, 布匹，未浸染着色过的布匹。引申词义单调的。

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.

1. The rest of the day'sactivities often seemed drab or depressing.

一天的剩余时光好像常常是乏味或令人沮丧的。

来自柯林斯例句

2. In the Middle Ages the term "drab" denoted a very simple type of woollen cloth which was used by peasants to make their clothes.

中世纪时，drab（“本色布”）一词指的是一种农民用来制衣的非常普通的羊毛织物。

来自柯林斯例句

3. Mary was wearing the same drab grey dress.

玛丽穿着同一件毫无朝气的灰色裙子。

来自柯林斯例句

4. The city, drab and dour by day, is transformed at night.

这座城市白天死气沉沉、单调乏味，晚上就完全变了样。

来自《权威词典》

5. a cold drab little office

冷冰冰的小办公室

来自《权威词典》