fob

1
[ fob ]
See synonyms for fob on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a small pocket just below the waistline in pants, designed for a watch, keys, change, etc.: Compare watch pocket.

  2. especially formerly,

    • a short chain or ribbon, usually with a medallion or similar ornament, attached to a watch and worn hanging from a pocket.

    • the medallion or ornament itself.

  1. key fob: The fob allows students 24/7 access into the residence building and their rooms.I could never find my nail clipper in my purse, so now I’m using it as a fob on my keychain.

Origin of fob

1
First recorded in 1645–55; origin uncertain; compare dialectal German Fuppe, Low German Fobke “pocket”

Other definitions for fob (2 of 3)

fob2
[ fob ]

verb (used with object),fobbed, fob·bing.
  1. Archaic. to cheat; deceive.

Verb Phrases
  1. fob off,

    • to cheat someone by substituting something spurious or inferior; palm off (often followed by on): He tried to fob off an inferior brand on us.

    • to put (someone) off by deception or trickery: She fobbed us off with false promises.

Origin of fob

2
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English fobben; perhaps cognate with German foppen “to delude, kid, tease” (cf. fop) or, alternatively, akin to French fourbe “cheat, swindler” (from Old French forbir “to clean”; see furbish )

Other definitions for f.o.b. (3 of 3)

f.o.b.

abbreviationCommerce.
  1. free on board: without charge to the buyer for goods placed on board a carrier at the point of shipment: automobiles shipped f.o.b. Detroit.

Origin of f.o.b.

3
First recorded in 1870–75

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use fob in a sentence

  • He or she, with lazy, vague, and windy legislation, fobs the lawmaking off on somebody we elect to execute laws.

  • Meanwhile, the consequences of putting the new FOBs—Friends of Barack—in our most desirable embassies is hard to calculate.

    Obama's Man in London | Benjamin Sarlin | February 20, 2009 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • Pox take the Tailors for making the Fobs so deep and narrow!

  • My friend, Jack-boots, now pulls out a bull's-eye watch with two fobs, and tells the time with a sort of sulky satisfaction.

    The Little Red Foot | Robert W. Chambers
  • Fobs of gold seals, &c., were worn, and eye-glasses attached to a black ribbon is a noticeable feature.

    Dress design | Talbot Hughes
  • I had rings on all my fingers and watches in both my fobs, canes, trinkets, and snuffboxes of all sorts.

    Thackeray | Anthony Trollope
  • But so far from sleep was I, that I could hear their watches ticking in their fobs.

British Dictionary definitions for fob (1 of 4)

fob1

/ (fɒb) /


noun
  1. a chain or ribbon by which a pocket watch is attached to a waistcoat

  2. any ornament hung on such a chain

  1. a small pocket in a man's waistcoat, for holding a watch

  2. a metal or plastic tab on a key ring

Origin of fob

1
C17: probably of Germanic origin; compare German dialect Fuppe pocket

British Dictionary definitions for fob (2 of 4)

fob2

/ (fɒb) /


verbfobs, fobbing or fobbed
  1. an archaic word for cheat

Origin of fob

2
C15: probably from German foppen to trick

British Dictionary definitions for fob (3 of 4)

fob3

/ (fɒb) /


noun
  1. NZ slang a Pacific Islander who has newly arrived in New Zealand

Origin of fob

3
C20: from f (resh) o (ff) (the) b (oat)

British Dictionary definitions for f.o.b. (4 of 4)

f.o.b.

FOB

/ commerce /


abbreviation for
  1. free on board

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012