lob
pronunciation
How to pronounce lob in British English:
UK [lɒb]
How to pronounce lob in American English:
US [lɑb]
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- Noun:
- an easy return of a tennis ball in a high arc
- the act of propelling something (as a ball or shell etc.) in a high arc
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- Verb:
- propel in a high arc
Word Origin
- lob (v.)
- "send up in a slow, high arc," 1824 (implied in lobbing), but the word existed 16c. in various senses suggesting heavy, pendant, or floppy things, and probably is ultimately from an unrecorded Old English word; compare East Frisian lobbe "hanging lump of flesh," Dutch lob "hanging lip, ruffle, hanging sleeve," Danish lobbes "clown, bumpkin." Related: Lobbed; lobbing. The noun in this sense is from 1875, from the verb.
- lob (n.)
- a word of widespread application to lumpish things, probably in Old English. Compare Middle Dutch, Middle Low German lobbe, Old Norse lubba. From late 13c. as a surname; meaning "pollack" is from early 14c.; that of "lazy lout" is from late 14c.
Example
- 1. We could give the lob to somebody more junior .
- 2. All his attempts to get a lob have failed .
- 3. I 'm afraid that I will lose the lob .
- 4. Henman won the final point with a great lob .
- 5. He 'd been doing his lob conscientiously for many years .