bobbin

American  

[bob-in] / ˈbɒb ɪn /

noun

1. a reel, cylinder, or spool upon which yarn or thread is wound, as used in spinning, machine sewing, lacemaking, etc.

2. Electricity.

   1. a spoollike form around which a coil of insulated wire is wound to provide an inductance.

   2. the coil itself.

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bobbin British  

/ ˈbɒbɪn /

noun

1. a spool or reel on which thread or yarn is wound, being unwound as required; spool; reel

2. narrow braid or cord used as binding or for trimming

3. a device consisting of a short bar and a length of string, used to control a wooden door latch

4. 1. a spool on which insulated wire is wound to form the coil of a small electromagnetic device, such as a bell or buzzer

   2. the coil of such a spool

5. slang (plural) matter that is worthless or of inferior quality; rubbish

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Etymology

Origin of bobbin

1520–30; < Middle French bobine hank of thread, perhaps bob- an expressive base akin to bob ² + -ine -ine ²

Explanation

A bobbin is the part of a sewing machine on which the lower thread is wound. The machine makes a stitch by catching the bottom thread, from the bobbin, with the top thread, from the needle. Most bobbins are wound with thread and inserted in sewing machines, but the word describes many spools and cylinders that hold string, yarn, wire, or other materials. Some machines contain bobbins, wound with wire or tape, and a weaver or knitter often works with a yarn bobbin close at hand. Bobbin comes from the French bobine, "small instrument used in sewing," which shares a Latin root with babble, for the sound it makes while unspooling.

Example Sentences

He added that test and trace officials had visited the Bobbin, on King Street next to a sports and swimming complex used by the university, and taken customers lists away to help contact-tracing.

From The Guardian • Sep. 29, 2020

Health officials have disclosed that 62 University of Aberdeen students have tested positive for Covid-19, many of whom visited a student bar close to campus called the Bobbin.

From The Guardian • Sep. 29, 2020

The Boutique Run by the husband-and-wife team Sian Emmison and Tom Morris, Bobbin Bicycles is the gearhead’s antidote: there are beautiful upright bikes, flowery seat covers, bowler-hat helmets and jaunty capes, all of it low-tech.

From New York Times • Mar. 22, 2011

There is even a recorded reggae theme song for sale, Hobbin & A Bobbin.

From Time Magazine Archive

Nevertheless she need not make herself unnecessarily unhappy over "Bobbin," for the girl would again be brought back to school as soon as she could be captured.

From The Camp Fire Girls in After Years by Vandercook, Margaret