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Added 9 October 2026

bob

/bɒb/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about bob at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A former monetary unit in Great Britain.
A hair style for women and children; a short haircut all around.
A long racing sled (for 2 or more people) with a steering mechanism.

verb

Move up and down repeatedly.
her rucksack bobbed gently on her back
Ride a bobsled.
The boys bobbed down the hill screaming with pleasure
Remove or shorten the tail of an animal.

Origin

From Middle English bobben (“to move up and down or back and forth”), of uncertain origin. Compare Scots bob (“to mark, dance with a bobbing motion”), Icelandic boppa (“to wave up and down”), Swedish bobba (“to bob”), Faroese bøbbur (“something that rises or stands up; top”), Dutch dobberen (“to float, bob”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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