mob

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See also: MOB, Mob, and -mob

English

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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From Middle English mob, short for mobile, from Latin mōbile (vulgus) (fickle (crowd)). The video-gaming sense originates from English mobile, used by Richard Bartle for objects capable of movement in an early MUD.

Noun

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mob (plural mobs)

  1. A large or disorderly group of people; especially one bent on riotous or destructive action.
    • February 13, 1788, James Madison, Jr., Federalist No. 55
      Had every Athenian citizen been a Socrates, every Athenian assembly would still have been a mob.
    See also: Mob (the masses)
  2. (archaic) The lower classes of a community; the rabble.
    • 1715 June 1 (Gregorian calendar), Joseph Addison, “The Free-holder: No. 44. Saturday, May 21. [1715.]”, in The Works of the Right Honourable Joseph Addison, Esq; [], volume IV, London: [] Jacob Tonson, [], published 1721, →OCLC:
      A cluster of mob, who were making themselves merry with their betters.
  3. (collective noun) A group of animals such as horses or cattle.
  4. (collective noun) A group of kangaroos.
  5. (collective noun) A flock of emus.
  6. A mafia: a group that engages in organized crime.
    See also: Mob, Mafia (proper noun senses for specific ones)
  7. (video games) A non-player character, especially one that exists to be fought or killed to further the progression of the story or game.
    • 2002, Wolfie, “Re: Whoa - massive changes due in next patch”, in alt.games.everquest (Usenet):
      You can't win with small, balanced groups. You have to zerg the mob with a high number of players.
  8. (Australian Aboriginal) A group of Aboriginal people associated with an extended family group, clan group or wider community group, from a particular place or country.[1]
    • 2011 March 10, Allan Clarke, W.A. through Noongar eyes[1]:
      There’s nothing like local knowledge and after thousands of years living here the Noongar mob understand this land better than anyone, so it makes sense for them to tap into the lucrative tourism industry.
Synonyms
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Derived terms
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Translations
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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Verb

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mob (third-person singular simple present mobs, present participle mobbing, simple past and past participle mobbed)

  1. (transitive) To crowd around (someone), sometimes with hostility.
    The fans mobbed a well-dressed couple who resembled their idols.
    • 2017 June 26, Alexis Petridis, “Glastonbury 2017 verdict: Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Lorde, Stormzy and more”, in the Guardian[2]:
      Politicians have been turning up to Glastonbury for years, but this year the leader of the opposition was among the most hotly anticipated attractions: when he arrived on site, his Land Rover was mobbed by fans.
  2. (transitive) To crowd into or around a place.
    The shoppers mobbed the store on the first day of the sale.
Translations
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Etymology 2

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Alteration of mab.

Noun

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mob (plural mobs)

  1. (obsolete) A promiscuous woman; a harlot or wench; a prostitute. [17th–18th c.]
  2. A mob cap.
    • c. 1773-1774, Oliver Goldsmith, letter to Mrs Bunbury
      cover their faces with mobs
Derived terms
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Verb

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mob (third-person singular simple present mobs, present participle mobbing, simple past and past participle mobbed)

  1. (transitive) To wrap up in, or cover with, a cowl.

Etymology 3

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Abbreviation of mobile phone.

Noun

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mob (plural mobs)

  1. Abbreviation of mobile phone.
Usage notes
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  • This is most often used in signwriting to match with the other three-letter abbreviations tel (telephone) and fax (facsimile).

Further reading

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References

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Anagrams

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Danish

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Verb

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mob

  1. imperative of mobbe

French

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Etymology

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Clipping of mobylette.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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mob f (plural mobs)

  1. (colloquial) scooter, moped

Further reading

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Volapük

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Pronunciation

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Noun

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mob (nominative plural mobs)

  1. suggestion

Declension

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Derived terms

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White Hmong

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Etymology

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From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ʔmun (illness, pain). Cognate with Iu Mien mun.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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mob

  1. to be ill/sick; to hurt; to be unwell

References

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  • Ernest E. Heimbach, White Hmong - English Dictionary (1979, SEAP Publications)