bob
pronunciation
How to pronounce bob in British English:
UK [ bɒb]
How to pronounce bob in American English:
US [ bɑːb]
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- Noun:
- a former monetary unit in Great Britain
- a hair style for women and children; a short haircut all around
- a long racing sled (for 2 or more people) with a steering mechanism
- a hanging weight, especially a metal ball on a string
- a small float usually made of cork; attached to a fishing line
- a short or shortened tail of certain animals
- a short abrupt inclination (as of the head)
-
- Verb:
- move up and down repeatedly
- ride a bobsled
- remove or shorten the tail of an animal
- make a curtsy; usually done only by girls and women; as a sign of respect
- cut hair in the style of a bob
Word Origin
- bob (v.1)
- "move with a short, jerking motion," late 14c., probably connected to Middle English bobben "to strike, beat" (late 13c.), perhaps of echoic origin. Another early sense was "to make a fool of, cheat" (early 14c.). Related: Bobbed; bobbing. The sense in bobbing for apples (or cherries) recorded by 1799.
- bob (n.2)
- "short hair," 1680s, attested 1570s in sense of "a horse's tail cut short," from earlier bobbe "cluster" (as of leaves), mid-14c., a northern word, perhaps of Celtic origin (compare Irish baban "tassel, cluster," Gaelic babag). Used over the years in various senses connected by the notion of "round, hanging mass," such as "weight at the end of a line" (1650s). The hair sense was revived with a shift in women's styles early 20c. (verb 1918, noun 1920). Related words include bobby pin, bobby sox, bobsled, bobcat.
- bob (n.1)
- "act of bobbing," 1540s, from bob (v.1). As a slang word for "shilling" it is attested from 1789, but the signification is unknown.
Example
- 1. Let 's imagine that bob and sue are married .
- 2. Now bob grins a little .
- 3. Bob 's team wins the game !
- 4. Bob dylan turns 70 this week .
- 5. Bob and I both loved classical music .