fob
fob Lexical Profile
fob Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A small electronic security device or remote control, typically attached to a key ring, used to unlock doors or vehicles.
"She tapped her key fob against the security pad to unlock the office door."
A short chain or ribbon attached to a pocket watch, or a small ornament attached to such a chain or to a key ring.
"His grandfather's antique pocket watch featured a heavy gold fob."
A small pocket just below the waistband of a pair of men's trousers, originally designed for carrying a pocket watch.
"He slid the silver coin into the fob of his jeans for safekeeping."
• verb
To deceive or trick someone, often by passing off something inferior as genuine, or to dismiss someone with a fabricated excuse (typically used with 'off').
"The salesman tried to fob off a defective laptop on the unsuspecting customer."
Word Nuance & Usage
As a verb, 'fob' is almost exclusively used in the phrasal verb 'to fob off', meaning to deceive someone or placate them with a fabricated excuse.
• Rhymes for fob
Word Origin & Etymology
The noun likely derives from the dialectal German word 'Fuppe', meaning 'pocket'. The verb probably originated from the obsolete English word 'fop', meaning 'to fool or cheat', related to the German 'foppen'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.