2. To angle with a bob. See {Bob}, n., 2 & 3.
He ne'er had learned the art to bob For anything but
eels. --Saxe.
{To bob at an apple}, {cherry}, etc. to attempt to bite or
seize with the mouth an apple, cherry, or other round
fruit, while it is swinging from a string or floating in a
tug of water.
In jewels dressed and at each ear a bob. --Dryden.
2. A knot of worms, or of rags, on a string, used in angling,
as for eels; formerly, a worm suitable for bait.
Or yellow bobs, turned up before the plow, Are
chiefest baits, with cork and lead enow. --Lauson.
3. A small piece of cork or light wood attached to a fishing
line to show when a fish is biting; a float.
4. The ball or heavy part of a pendulum; also, the ball or
weight at the end of a plumb line.
5. A small wheel, made of leather, with rounded edges, used
in polishing spoons, etc.
6. A short, jerking motion; act of bobbing; as, a bob of the
head.
7. (Steam Engine) A working beam.
8. A knot or short curl of hair; also, a bob wig.
A plain brown bob he wore. --Shenstone.
9. A peculiar mode of ringing changes on bells.
To bed, to bed, will be the bob of the song.
--L'Estrange.
11. A blow; a shake or jog; a rap, as with the fist.
12. A jeer or flout; a sharp jest or taunt; a trick.
He that a fool doth very wisely hit, Doth very
foolishly, although he smart, Not to seem senseless
of the bob. --Shak.
13. A shilling. [Slang, Eng.] --Dickens.
2. To strike with a quick, light blow; to tap.
If any man happened by long sitting to sleep . . .
he was suddenly bobbed on the face by the servants.
--Elyot.
3. To cheat; to gain by fraud or cheating; to filch.
Gold and jewels that I bobbed from him. --Shak.
4. To mock or delude; to cheat.
To play her pranks, and bob the fool, The shrewish
wife began. --Turbervile.
5. To cut short; as, to bob the hair, or a horse's tail.