lob

¹ American  

[lob] / lɒb /

verb (used with object)

lobbed, lobbing

1. Tennis. to hit (a ball) in a high arc to the back of the opponent's court.

2. to fire (a missile, as a shell) in a high trajectory so that it drops onto a target.

3. Cricket. to bowl (the ball) with a slow underhand motion.

4. to throw (something) slowly in an arc.

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verb (used without object)

lobbed, lobbing

1. Tennis. to lob a ball.

noun

1. Tennis. a ball hit in a high arc to the back of the opponent's court.

2. Cricket. a ball bowled with a slow underhand motion.

3. British Dialect. a slow, heavy, dull-witted person.

lob ² American  

[lob] / lɒb /

noun

1. lobworm.

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lob ¹ British  

/ lɒb /

noun

1. a ball struck in a high arc

2. cricket a ball bowled in a slow high arc

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verb

1. to hit or kick (a ball) in a high arc

2. informal to throw, esp in a high arc

lob ² British  

/ lɒb /

noun

1. short for lobworm

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Other Word Forms

• lobber noun

Etymology

Origin of lob

1325–75; in earlier sense, to behave like a lob ( Middle English lobbe, lob bumpkin, clumsy person, originally pollack; Old English: spider; basic sense, something pendulous); cognate with Middle Low German, Middle Dutch lobbe dangling part, stockfish, etc.

Explanation

When you lob something, you throw it up very high. If you lob a baseball from the outfield to the pitcher, you hurl it in an arc that ends right where the pitcher can catch it. If you propel an object in an arc, you lob it. For example, a soldier might lob a missile at the enemy. Tennis players can lob a ball by hitting it up and over the net. Today the noun lob means a throw (or hit) that follows an arc, but in the 14th century a lob was a "lazy lout," and in the 16th century it was "a lumpish thing."

Example Sentences

Luka Doncic, with the eyes of five defenders fixed on him in the paint, faked a lob pass.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

James had a thunderous one-handed dunk off a lob from Austin Reaves in transition with 7:42 remaining in the third quarter that put the Lakers up by 17 points.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

There is no public list of employees or advisers to which to lob an appeal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 8, 2026

Pegula swung the momentum her way and drew first blood in the final set, opening up a 4-1 gap with an inch-perfect lob.

From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026

He grabbed the boot off the ground and stood, bringing it up over his head, ready to lob it at his brothers again.

From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack

Related Words

• flip
• hurl
• loft