bob C2+ Topic:Space, Position & Direction US /bɑb/ UK /bɒb/ See IPA manual Minimal pairs Sounds like bub /ʌ/ vs /ɑ/ Meanings 1 verb to move quickly up and down; a short haircut or a small weight The cork began to bob as a fish tugged the line. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 verb · to move quickly up and... bouncejerknoddipwobbleduckhop Word family Derived forms bobbingbobber Etymology AI details From Middle English bobben ('to strike, jolt, move up and down'), of uncertain origin, possibly imitative or from a Celtic source. bobben Middle English View etymology graph -> Topics Space, Position & Direction Describing Qualities External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # bob **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** verb **IPA (US):** /bɑb/ **IPA (UK):** /bɒb/ ## Meanings 1. to move quickly up and down; a short haircut or a small weight ## Examples - The cork began to bob as a fish tugged the line. ## Synonyms - bounce - jerk - nod - dip - wobble - duck - hop ## Derived Forms - bobbing - bobber ## Roots and Affixes - Root: bobben ## Etymology From Middle English bobben ('to strike, jolt, move up and down'), of uncertain origin, possibly imitative or from a Celtic source. ## AI Etymology Bob comes from Middle English bobben ('to strike, jolt, move up and down'), of uncertain origin, possibly imitative or from a Celtic source. The historical trail runs through bobben in Middle English. Its formation is sound-symbolic rather than a regular transparent compound, with the older form echoing the sound named in the history. Used as a verb and noun, bob now means "move quickly up and down; a short haircut or a small weight", so the present definition can be read against the older forms and meanings. The same lexical family is also visible in derived forms such as bobbing and bobber. That uncertainty is part of the entry: the safest account is the attested form and the limited comparisons preserved with it. ## Topics - Space, Position & Direction - Describing Qualities markdown