BOB, bob, BOBBY, bob'i, _n._ a shortened familiar form of _Robert_: a
familiar name for a policeman--from Sir Robert Peel, Home Secretary at the
passing of the Metropolitan Police Act of 1828.--_n._ LIGHT'-BOB, a soldier
of the light infantry.
BOBADIL, bob'a-dil, _n._ a swaggering boaster, from Ben Jonson's _Every Man
in his Humour_.
BOBBERY, bob'er-i, _n._ a noisy row. [Hindi _b[=a]p re!_ O father!--_Col.
Yule_.]
BOBBIN, bob'in, _n._ a small piece of wood on which thread is wound.--_n._
BOBB'INET, a kind of fine netted lace made by machines. [Fr. _bobine_,
prob. Celt.; cf. Gael. _baban_, a tassel.]
BOBOLINK, bob'[=o]-lingk, _n._ a North American singing bird, found in the
northern states in spring and summer. [At first _Bob Lincoln_, from the
note of the bird.]
BOBSTAYS, bob'st[=a]z, _n.pl._ (_naut._) ropes or stays used to confine the
bowsprit downward to the stem or cutwater, and counteract the strain of the
foremast-stays.
BOBTAIL, bob't[=a]l, _n._ a short or cut tail: a word applied in contempt
to the rabble, as in 'tag-rag and _bobtail_.'--_adj._ BOB'TAILED, with tail
cut short.
BOCAGE. See BOSCAGE.
BODE, b[=o]d, _v.t._ to portend or prophesy.--_v.i._ to be an omen: to
foreshow.--_adj._ BODE'FUL, boding, ominous.--_n._ BODE'MENT, an omen,
presentiment.--_pr.p._ BOD'ING, presaging.--_n._ an omen or portent. [A.S.
_bodian_, to announce--_bod_, a message; allied to BID.]
BODE, b[=o]d (_Spens._). Same as ABODE.