fob

¹

[fob]

noun

1. a small pocket just below the waistline in pants, designed for a watch, keys, change, etc.

2. especially formerly,

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

   2. the medallion or ornament itself.

3. 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.

fob

²

[fob]

verb (used with object)

fobbed, fobbing 

1. Archaic.,  to cheat; deceive.

verb phrase

1. fob off

   1. to cheat someone by substituting something spurious or inferior; palm off (often followed byon ).

      He tried to fob off an inferior brand on us.

   2. to put (someone) off by deception or trickery.

      She fobbed us off with false promises.

f.o.b.

³

Or F.O.B.

abbreviation

Commerce.

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.

fob

¹

/ 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

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

4. a metal or plastic tab on a key ring

fob

²

/ fɒb /

verb

1. an archaic word for cheat

fob

³

/ fɒb /

noun

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

f.o.b.

⁴

abbreviation

1. free on board

Word History and Origins

Origin of fob¹

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

Origin of fob²

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

Origin of fob³

First recorded in 1870–75

Word History and Origins

Origin of fob¹

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

Origin of fob²

C15: probably from German foppen to trick

Origin of fob³

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

Example Sentences

The sunny showroom now features two spacious rooms filled with Vivier’s signature handbags and colorful “bits, bobs, straps and fobs,” according to the store’s window.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"I was absolutely gutted and every phone call I made to the Bournemouth office, I got fobbed off."

Read more on BBC

Ms Mannings reflected on how people often ask "are you OK?" - but it's a vague question, easy to "fob off".

Read more on BBC

Hikers carry fobs and must scan in at four checkpoints 7 miles apart and depart by a certain time or quit.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Herzog rejects the notion that propaganda of the kind that the former Soviet Union’s media outlets fobbed off as the truth is much different from the way liberal democracies present and digest the news now.

Read more on Los Angeles Times