1bob1 (bɒb
)
Definitions
verb
Word forms: bobs, bobbing, bobbed
- to move or cause to move up and down repeatedly, as while floating in water
- to move or cause to move with a short abrupt movement, as of the head
- to make (a bow or curtsy) ⇒
the little girl bobbed before the visitor
- (intr) up to appear or emerge suddenly
- (intr; foll by under, below, etc) to disappear suddenly, as beneath a surface
- (intr) for to attempt to get hold (of a floating or hanging object, esp an apple) in the teeth as a game
noun
- a short abrupt movement, as of the head
- a quick curtsy or bow
- bell-ringing a particular set of changes
- angling
- short for bobfloat
- the topmost fly on a cast of three, often fished bobbing at the surface
- this position on a wet-fly cast
Word Origin
C14: of uncertain origin2bob2 (bɒb)
Definitions
noun
- a hairstyle for women and children in which the hair is cut short evenly all round the head
- a dangling or hanging object, such as the weight on a pendulum or on a plumb line
- a polishing disc on a rotating spindle. It is usually made of felt, leather, etc, impregnated with an abrasive material
- short for bob skate , bobsleigh
- a runner or pair of runners on a bobsled
- angling a small knot of worms, maggots, etc, used as bait
- a very short line of verse at the end of a stanza or preceding a rhyming quatrain (the wheel) at the end of a stanza
- a refrain or burden with such a short line or lines
- a docked tail, esp of a horse
- British dialect a hanging cluster, as of flowers or ribbons
verb
Word forms: bobs, bobbing, bobbed
- (tr) to cut (the hair) in a bob
- (tr) to cut short (something, esp the tail of an animal); dock or crop
- (intr) to ride on a bobsled
Word Origin
C14 bobbe bunch of flowers, perhaps of Celtic origin3bob3 (bɒb)
Definitions
verb
Word forms: bobs, bobbing, bobbed
- to tap or cause to tap or knock lightly (against)
noun
- a light knock; tap
Word Origin
C13 bobben to rap, beat; see bop²Usage examples
Whoever the man in the homburg was he wasn't short of a bob or two.
, A Nasty Dose of Death (1994)A public sector bank, bob , has equity stakes in two old private sector banks.
Business Today (1998)The cables seem to disappear into the sea, where large blue plastic balls bob in the waves.
Globe and Mail (2004)He will certainly be able to earn a deserved few bob now trading off this fight.
Sun, News of the World (2000)He was also reputed to be one of the racing world's greatest tipsters and sold his tips for a few bob a time.
, HIT `EM HARD: Jack Spot, King of the Underworld (2002)