bob

Meaning

Verb

1. (intransitive) To move gently and vertically, in either a single motion or repeatedly up and down, at or near the surface of a body of water, or similar medium.
2. (transitive) To move (something) as though it were bobbing in water.
3. (transitive, with-on) To move (something) as though it were bobbing in water.
4. To curtsy.
5. To strike with a quick, light blow; to tap.
6. (intransitive) Synonym of blob (“catch eels using worms strung on thread”).

Noun

1. A bobbing motion; a quick up and down movement.
2. A curtsy.
3. A bobber (buoyant fishing device).
4. Any of various hesperiid butterflies.

Noun

1. A bob haircut.
2. Any round object attached loosely to a flexible line, a rod, a body part etc., so that it may swing when hanging from it.
3. The dangling mass of a pendulum or plumb line.
4. The docked tail of a horse.
5. The short runner of a sled.
6. A bobsleigh.
7. A small wheel, made of leather, with rounded edges, used in polishing spoons, etc.
8. A working beam in a steam engine.
9. A particular style of ringing changes on bells.
10. A blow; a shake or jog; a rap, as with the fist.
11. (obsolete) A knot or short curl of hair; also, a bob wig.
12. (obsolete) The refrain of a song.
13. A short line ending a stanza of a poem.
14. (obsolete) A jeer; a sharp jest or taunt.

Noun

1. (Australia, Kenya, UK, dated, historical, slang) A shilling.
2. (Australia, dated, slang) A 10-cent coin.
3. (slang) An unspecified amount of money.

Noun

Clipping of shishkabob.

Noun

A graphical element, resembling a hardware sprite, that can be blitted around the screen in large numbers.

Synonyms

float

dock

bobsled

bobber

cork

shilling

plumb

plummet

drift

bobfloat

nod

bobtail

sail

curtsy

curtsey

glide

bobsleigh

bounce

British shilling

pendant

tail

move gently

nape

net

pendulum

plumb line

poise

pontoon

pop up

press

pronk

quake

quiver

schilling

shimmy

short

sinker

slide

soar

sounding line

stoop

strike

surface

toboggan

trawl

wabble

waddle

waft

wag

waggle

Translations

pendiller

ανεβοκατεβαίνω

carré

χαστούκι

bob

αναπηδώ

Pagenschnitt

Bob

κότσος

σκουλαρίκι

υπόκλιση

darse

Bubikopf

κωδωνοκρουσία

Pronounced as (IPA)

/bɒb/

Etymology

Cognate with Scots: bob

Cognate with Icelandic: boppa

Cognate with Swedish: bobba

Inherited from Middle English: bobbe

In summary

From Middle English bobben (“to strike, beat, shake, jog”), of uncertain origin. Compare Scots bob (“to mark, dance with a bobbing motion”), Icelandic boppa (“to wave up and down”), Swedish bobba (“to bob”), Dutch dobberen ("bobbing").