bob

1 of 7

verb (1)

ˈbäb 

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)

: bunch, cluster

(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

: float sense 2a

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

: shilling

bob

7 of 7

noun (4)

: bobsled

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• bobble
• jog
• jounce
• nod
• pump
• seesaw
• wag

Noun (2)

• bouquet
• nosegay
• posy

Verb (3)

• clip
• crop
• cut
• cut back
• dock
• lop (off)
• nip
• pare
• poll
• prune
• shave
• shear
• snip
• trim

Examples of bob in a Sentence

Verb (1)

a family of ducks bobbing on the water

he playfully bobbed his brother on the nose to get his attention

Noun (2)

the lassie carried only a little bob on her wedding day

Verb (3)

bobbed her waist-length hair herself on her 18th birthday

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The team calculated just how quickly the flamingos chattered their beaks and bobbed their heads. —Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 May 2025

The poem’s individual words and syllables bob like a string of harbor buoys. —A.o. Scott, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025

Noun

Her blunt bob was styled with a side part and featured soft waves. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 13 May 2025

At the 2021 Met Gala, Steinfeld surprised fans by trading her usual brunette locks for a platinum bob and light eyebrows to match. —Catherine Santino, People.com, 9 May 2025

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

Phrases Containing bob

• a few bob
• bob for apples
• bob veal
• plumb bob

Rhymes for bob

• blob
• cob
• daub
• fob
• glob
• gob
• hob
• job
• knob
• lob
• mob
• rob

Kids Definition

bob

1 of 4 verb

ˈbäb 

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

: float entry 1 sense 2a

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"