sob

[sob]

See more synonyms for sob on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), sobbed, sob·bing.

to weep with a convulsive catching of the breath.
to make a sound resembling this.

verb (used with object), sobbed, sob·bing.

to utter with sobs.
to put, send, etc., by sobbing or with sobs: to sob oneself to sleep.

noun

the act of sobbing; a convulsive catching of the breath in weeping.
any sound suggesting this.

Origin of sob

1150–1200; Middle English sobben, apparently imitative

Related formssob·ber, nounsob·bing·ly, adverbsob·ful, adjective

S.O.B.

or SOB

(sometimes lowercase) Slang.

son of a bitch.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for sob

Contemporary Examples

Until 1972 it was called simply The Senate Office Building – SOB for short.
My Coffee Klatch With Rand Paul
P. J. O’Rourke
September 27, 2014
I remember Cat Deeley literally took your head into her arms and let you sob on her shoulder.
'So You Think You Can Dance' Winner Ricky Ubeda Is Adorable, and Tired
Kevin Fallon
September 4, 2014
She waited for the inexplicable sentiment to fade away, but instead it intensified and she began to sob.
Knocking on Heaven's Door: True Stories of Unexplained, Uncanny Experiences at the Hour of Death
Patricia Pearson
August 11, 2014
Finally, Cleese goose-steps out of the dining room as the hapless Germans cringe and sob.
Life Under Air Strikes: Children Under Fire Will Never Forget — or Forgive
Clive Irving
August 3, 2014
Then Zvereva began to sob uncontrollably, remembering the wounds, the torn limbs and missing parts of bodies.
In the Killing Fields of Ukraine with Children Who Saw the MH17 Horror
Anna Nemtsova
July 20, 2014

Historical Examples

Here she began to sob, as she fumbled at the door she could not see to open.
The Little Colonel
Annie Fellows Johnston
She stopped breathlessly, with a break in her voice that sounded just short of a sob.
Questionable Shapes
William Dean Howells
It answered with a little exclamation, with a sob following close upon it.
Good Indian
B. M. Bower
Failing that, she began to sob angrily without any tears in her wide eyes.
Good Indian
B. M. Bower
And there are some things which are,' he stopped to sob, 'irreconcilable with that, and wound that—wound it deeply.
Little Dorrit
Charles Dickens

British Dictionary definitions for sob

sob

verb sobs, sobbing or sobbed

(intr) to weep with convulsive gasps
(tr) to utter with sobs
to cause (oneself) to be in a specified state by sobbingto sob oneself to sleep

noun

a convulsive gasp made in weeping

Derived Formssobber, nounsobbing, noun, adjective

Word Origin

C12: probably from Low German; compare Dutch sabben to suck

s.o.b.

abbreviation for

son of a bitch

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

Word Origin and History for sob

v.

c.1200, "to cry with short breaths," probably of imitative origin, related to Old English seofian "to lament," Old High German sufan "to draw breath," West Frisian sobje "to suck." Related: Sobbed; sobbing.

n.

late 14c., from sob (v.). Sob story is from 1913. Sob sister "female journalist who writes sentimental stories or advice columns" is from 1912.

sob

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}sob

S.O.B.

or SOB

Related Words

Examples from the Web for sob

Contemporary Examples

Until 1972 it was called simply The Senate Office Building – SOB for short.

I remember Cat Deeley literally took your head into her arms and let you sob on her shoulder.

She waited for the inexplicable sentiment to fade away, but instead it intensified and she began to sob.

Finally, Cleese goose-steps out of the dining room as the hapless Germans cringe and sob.

Then Zvereva began to sob uncontrollably, remembering the wounds, the torn limbs and missing parts of bodies.

Historical Examples

Here she began to sob, as she fumbled at the door she could not see to open.

She stopped breathlessly, with a break in her voice that sounded just short of a sob.

It answered with a little exclamation, with a sob following close upon it.

Failing that, she began to sob angrily without any tears in her wide eyes.

And there are some things which are,' he stopped to sob, 'irreconcilable with that, and wound that—wound it deeply.

sob

Word Origin

s.o.b.

Word Origin and History for sob

v.

n.

Origin of sob