stipple

stipple
    v 1: engrave by means of dots and flicks
    2: make by small short touches that together produce an even or
       softly graded shadow, as in paint or ink
    3: apply (paint) in small dots or strokes
    4: produce a mottled effect; "The sunlight stippled the trees"
       [syn: {stipple}, {speckle}]
    

Stipple \Stip"ple\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Stippled}; p. pr. & vb.
   n. {Stippling}.] [D. stippelen to make points, to spot, dot,
   from stippel, dim. of stip a dot, spot.]
   1. To engrave by means of dots, in distinction from engraving
      in lines.
      [1913 Webster]

            The interlaying of small pieces can not altogether
            avoid a broken, stippled, spotty effect. --Milman.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To paint, as in water colors, by small, short touches
      which together produce an even or softly graded surface.
      [1913 Webster] Stipple
    

Stipple \Stip"ple\, Stippling \Stip"pling\, n. (Engraving)
   A mode of execution which produces the effect by dots or
   small points instead of lines.
   [1913 Webster]

   2. (Paint.) A mode of execution in which a flat or even tint
      is produced by many small touches.
      [1913 Webster]
    

163 Moby Thesaurus words for "stipple":
      apply paint, autolithograph, band, bar, be a printmaker, bedaub,
      bedizen, begild, besmear, bespangle, bespeckle, bespot, blotch,
      brush on paint, burr, calcimine, carve, character, check, checker,
      chisel, chiseling, coat, color, complexion, cover, crease, cribble,
      cross-hatching, crosshatch, cut, dab, dapple, dappledness,
      dappleness, daub, deep-dye, demitint, dip, distemper, dot,
      dottedness, double-dye, dye, emblazon, enamel, enchase, engild,
      engrave, engravement, engraving, etch, etching, face, fast-dye,
      flake, fleck, freckle, freckliness, fresco, furrow, gem-engraving,
      gild, glass-cutting, glaze, gloss, glyptic, grain, grave, graving,
      groove, half tint, harlequin, hatch, hatching, hue, illuminate,
      imbue, incise, incision, ingrain, inscribe, inscript, inscription,
      iris, japan, lacquer, lay on color, line, lining, lithograph,
      macula, maculate, maculation, macule, make prints, marble,
      marbleize, mark, marking, motley, mottle, mottledness, paint,
      parget, patch, pepper, pigment, pointillage, pointillism,
      polka dot, polychrome, polychromize, prime, print, rainbow, score,
      scoring, scrape, scratch, scratching, sculpture, shade, shadow,
      shellac, slash, slashing, slop on paint, smear, spangle, speck,
      speckle, speckliness, splash, splotch, spot, spottedness,
      spottiness, sprinkle, stain, stigmatize, stippledness, stippling,
      streak, striate, stripe, stud, tattoo, tessellate, tinct, tincture,
      tinge, tint, tone, tool, tooling, type-cutting, undercoat,
      variegate, varnish, vein, wash, whitewash