Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Bob
Bob
(bŏb)
, Noun.
[An onomatopoetic word, expressing quick, jerky motion; OE.
bob
bunch, bobben
to strike, mock, deceive. Cf. Prov. Eng. bob
, n., a ball, an engine beam, bunch, blast, trick, taunt, scoff; as, a v., to dance, to courtesy, to disappoint, OF. bober
to mock.] 1.
Anything that hangs so as to play loosely, or with a short abrupt motion, as at the end of a string; a pendant;
as, the
. bob
at the end of a kite’s tailIn jewels dressed and at each ear a
bob
. Dryden.
2.
A knot of worms, or of rags, on a string, used in angling, as for eels; formerly, a worm suitable for bait.
Or yellow
Are chiefest baits, with cork and lead enow.
bobs
, turned up before the plow,Are chiefest baits, with cork and lead enow.
Lauson.
3.
A small piece of cork or light wood attached to a fishing line to show when a fish is biting; a float.
4.
The ball or heavy part of a pendulum; also, the ball or weight at the end of a plumb line.
5.
A small wheel, made of leather, with rounded edges, used in polishing spoons, etc.
6.
A short, jerking motion; act of bobbing;
as, a
. bob
of the head7.
(Steam Engine)
A working beam.
8.
A knot or short curl of hair; also, a bob wig.
A plain brown
bob
he wore. Shenstone.
9.
A peculiar mode of ringing changes on bells.
10.
The refrain of a song.
To bed, to bed, will be the
bob
of the song. L'Estrange.
11.
A blow; a shake or jog; a rap, as with the fist.
12.
A jeer or flout; a sharp jest or taunt; a trick.
He that a fool doth very wisely hit,
Doth very foolishly, although he smart,
Not to seem senseless of the
Doth very foolishly, although he smart,
Not to seem senseless of the
bob
. Shakespeare
13.
A shilling.
[Slang, Eng.]
Dickens.
1.
To cause to move in a short, jerking manner; to move (a thing) with a bob.
“He bobbed his head.” W. Irving.
2.
To strike with a quick, light blow; to tap.
If any man happened by long sitting to sleep . . . he was suddenly
bobbed
on the face by the servants. Elyot.
3.
To cheat; to gain by fraud or cheating; to filch.
Gold and jewels that I
bobbed
from him. Shakespeare
4.
To mock or delude; to cheat.
To play her pranks, and
The shrewish wife began.
bob
the fool,The shrewish wife began.
Turbervile.
5.
To cut short;
as, to
. bob
the hair, or a horse's tailBob
,Verb.
I.
1.
To have a short, jerking motion; to play to and fro, or up and down; to play loosely against anything.
“Bobbing and courtesying.” Thackeray.
2.
To angle with a bob. See , 2 & 3.
Bob
, Noun.
He ne'er had learned the art to
For anything but eels.
bob
For anything but eels.
Saxe.
To bob at an apple
, cherry
, etc. to attempt to bite or seize with the mouth an apple, cherry, or other round fruit, while it is swinging from a string or floating in a tug of water.
Webster 1828 Edition
Bob
BOB
,Noun.
Our common people apply the word to a knot of worms, on a string,used in fishing for eels.
1.
The words repeated at the end of a stanza.2.
A blow; a shake or jog; a jeer or flout.3.
The ball of a short pendulum.4.
A mode of ringing.5.
A bob-wig.BOB
,Verb.
I.
1.
To angle, or fish for eels, or to catch eels with a bob.