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Glite Dictionary
to slobber over

to slobber over

1 8.6
To want something or someone very much and show it in an obvious way
  • phrasal verb
  • /ˈslɑːbər ˈoʊvər/
  • Informal
translation icon : babear por
  • The critics seemed to slobber over every detail of the celebrity's outfit last night.

Examples

  • She tried not to slobber over the designer shoes in the shop window, but it was difficult.

  • He couldn't help but slobber over his colleague's promotion and new office.

  • Don't slobber over that new car!

  • He always slobbers over the latest gadgets.

  • He couldn't help but slobber over the new sports car parked in front of the dealership.

  • During the movie, she slobbered over the handsome actor on the screen.

  • It's hard to focus when everyone is slobbering over the latest smartphone model.

Synonyms

to envy
vsto slobber over
110 1.8

To want what someone else has and feel upset about it

shows wanting outwardly in an overt unrestrained often embarrassing way
to drool over
vsto slobber over
  • Informal
14 6.8

To look at someone or something while wanting to have it very much

shows desire more unrestrained and embarrassing rather than just obvious
to gush over
vsto slobber over
4 7.0

Praise a person or thing in a very excited way

focuses more on wanting with an embarrassing envious tone rather than praise
to point-and-drool
vsto slobber over
  • Slang
9.9

Look at something you want and show strong desire openly

is more overtly unrestrained and embarrassing than that expression

How Desirous

to slobber over
  • Informal
1 8.6
to fawn
25 7.7
to admire
743 1.6
to like
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

slobber over infinitive
slobbered over past
slobbered over past participle
slobbering over present participle
slobbers over third person singular

Morphology

slobber + over

The meaning 'to show excessive envy or desire' is directly derivable from combining 'slobber' (to drool or show eager desire) with the particle 'over' indicating target/direction — together they form the clear metaphor 'drool over' meaning to gaze at something with overt desire. This drooling metaphor is cross-linguistically common (e.g., Spanish 'babear por', French 'baver sur'), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would likely infer the meaning.

Etymology

The phrasal verb slobber over comes from the image of someone slobbering or drooling over a cake or a person, their open mouth and drool showing how much they want it. So, it means 'to show too much desire or envy'.