lob

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈläb 

dialectal British

: a dull heavy person : lout

lob

2 of 4

verb

lobbed; lobbing

transitive verb

1

: to let hang heavily : droop

2

: to throw, hit, or propel easily or in a high arc

3

: to direct (something, such as a question or comment) so as to elicit a response

intransitive verb

1

a

: to move slowly and heavily

b

: to move in an arc

2

: to hit a tennis ball easily in a high arc

lob

3 of 4

noun (2)

: a soft high-arching shot, throw, or kick

lob-

4 of 4

combining form

variants or lobo-

: lobe

lobar

lobotomy

Synonyms

Verb

• cast
• catapult
• chuck
• dash
• fire
• fling
• heave
• hurl
• hurtle
• launch
• loft
• peg
• pelt
• pitch
• sling
• throw
• toss

Examples of lob in a Sentence

Verb

She lobbed a throw to the pitcher.

The soldier lobbed a grenade into the bunker.

He lobbed the ball over his opponent's head.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This is both a stupid and easily disproven argument, like everything Alexis lobs at us. —Brian Moylan, Vulture, 25 July 2024

Adebayo closed out on Toppin’s 3-point attempt before backtracking to impede a lob attempt in the clip below. —James Jackson, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024

Verb

State water officials lobbed pointed criticisms at each other on Thursday during successive programs at the Colorado River Water Users Association conference. —Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 6 Dec. 2024

The filings mark an unprecedented escalation of the two musicians’ ongoing beef, which exploded into the court of public opinion in the spring when Drake and Lamar began lobbing rapid-fire diss and response tracks at one another. —Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 5 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

probably of Low German origin; akin to Low German lubbe coarse person

Verb

lob a loosely hanging object

Combining form

lobe

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1508, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1599, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1851, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

lob

1 of 2 verb

ˈläb 

lobbed; lobbing

: to send (as a ball) in a high arc by hitting or throwing easily

lob

2 of 2 noun

: a lobbed throw or shot (as in tennis)