bob

1 of 7

verb (1)

bobbed; bobbing

transitive verb

1
: to strike with a quick light blow : rap
2
: to move up and down in a short quick movement
bob the head
3
: to polish with a bob : buff

intransitive verb

1
a
: to move up and down briefly or repeatedly
b
: to emerge, arise, or appear suddenly or unexpectedly
2
: to nod or curtsy briefly
3
: to try to seize a suspended or floating object with the teeth

bob

2 of 7

noun (1)

1
a
: a short quick down-and-up motion
b
Scotland : any of several folk dances
2
obsolete : a blow or tap especially with the fist
3
a
: a modification of the order in change ringing
b
: a method of change ringing using a bob
4
: a small polishing wheel of solid felt or leather with rounded edges

bob

3 of 7

verb (2)

bobbed; bobbing

transitive verb

1
obsolete : deceive, cheat
2
obsolete : to take by fraud : filch

bob

4 of 7

noun (2)

1
a(1)
(2)
Scotland : nosegay
b
: a knob, knot, twist, or curl especially of ribbons, yarn, or hair
c
: a short haircut on a woman or child
2
3
: a hanging ball or weight (as on a plumb line)
4
: trifle sense 1
bits and bobs

bob

5 of 7

verb (3)

bobbed; bobbing

transitive verb

1
: to cut shorter : crop
bob a horse's tail
2
: to cut (hair) in the style of a bob

bob

6 of 7

noun (3)

plural bob
British slang

bob

7 of 7

noun (4)

Examples of bob in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Trump Has Promised to Do in a Second Term For the next few hours, Peso bobs around like a ball of electricity, bursting into different rooms and jumping onto different songs. Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2024 When the dock bobbed in the wake of the boat, the keys plopped into the water. Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 For one thing, drilling through hard rock rapidly wears out drill bits, forcing regular bit changes and the need to reenter the same tiny borehole from a ship bobbing atop hundreds or thousands of meters of water, which is like dropping a needle into a pinhole. Quanta Magazine, 4 Jan. 2024 Perched atop the cliffs of Disko Bay, where bobbing icebergs and families of breaching whales comprise the view, the minimalist lodging is a leader in eco-luxury so couples will feel good about their stay in this fragile part of the world that’s a part of UNESCO’s world heritage list. Jillian Dara, Robb Report, 29 Feb. 2024 In the video, the Migos star is seen bobbing his head and loving the music with a satisfied stank face on, and since the video had no audio, viewers were left to their imagination in interpreting the caption. Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2024 As the sun comes up, green heads can often be seen bobbing in the inlet, followed by long, scaly bodies: iguanas clambering up the small wooden jetty to warm themselves. Alice Newell-Hanson Stefan Ruiz, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024 At midnight, a man bobs and weaves through the crowd holding a stack of giant pizza boxes. Lina Abascal, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Swimming through the cave is akin to an out-of-body experience, even when other excitable visitors are bobbing around you. Rachel Howard, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Feb. 2024
Noun
After debuting a brand new bob that was freshly chopped in over Oscars weekend, Hadid's had time to settle into her new hairstyle and make the cut her own. Elle Turner, Glamour, 16 Mar. 2024 Her blonde curls bob between rows of Ramadan bunting, as the yellow glow of the sun marks the first day of the holy month. Sana Noor Haq, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024 Hewitt's last bob came courtesy of Lee just last September, after a summer of longer, blonde hair, but this new cut is definitely more drastic. Marci Robin, Allure, 12 Mar. 2024 Scroll on for the best bobs of the 2024 Oscars—and plenty of haircut inspiration too. Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024 Ask for layers with extra emphasis on face-framing pieces. 05 of 18 Angled Lob For thicker and heavier hair, an A-line long bob that's slightly shorter in the back and subtly layered can help add volume and lift. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2024 Consider adding her striking bob and baby bangs or blushy cheek and glossy lip combo to your beauty inspo board. Akili King, Essence, 10 Feb. 2024 Tapping in to this decade’s hottest hairstyle, Cruz’s razor-sharp bob was chopped to sit about an inch below her jawline, and subsequently framed her face in all the right ways. Hannah Coates, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2024 His initial designs, as described in a series of patents, were for a pendulum clock with a permanent magnet as its bob (that’s the weight at the bottom of the pendulum). IEEE Spectrum, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bob.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English boben

Verb (2)

Middle English bobben, from Old French bober

Noun (2)

Middle English bobbe

Noun (3)

perhaps from the name Bob

First Known Use

Verb (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb (3)

1822, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

1789, in the meaning defined above

Noun (4)

1856, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bob was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near bob

Cite this Entry

“Bob.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bob. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bob

1 of 4 verb
bobbed; bobbing
1
a
: to move or cause to move up and down in a short quick movement
bob the head
a cork bobbing in the water
b
: to appear suddenly or unexpectedly
may bob up anywhere
2
: to grasp or make a grab with the teeth
bob for apples

bob

2 of 4 noun
: a short jerky motion
a bob of the head

bob

3 of 4 noun
1
: a woman's or child's short haircut
2
: a weight hanging from a line
3

bob

4 of 4 verb
bobbed; bobbing
1
: to cut shorter : crop
2
: to cut (hair) in the style of a bob
Etymology

Verb

Middle English boben, bobben "to hit or beat"

Noun

from earlier bob "a knot or twist of yarn or hair," from Middle English bobbe "bunch, cluster"

More from Merriam-Webster on bob

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