Sob Meaning
/ˌɛs oʊ ˈbi/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA cry with a short, sudden expulsion of breath.
nounInitialism of son of a bitch.
Sentence Examples
The movie is a stereotyped sob story.
The poor little girl did nothing but sob all day.
CEFR Practice Quiz
When she received the heartbreaking letter, she began to ____ loudly in her room.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She couldn't help but ____ when she watched the very emotional scene at the end of the movie.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English sobben, perhaps from Middle Low German sabben (“to drool, slobber, salivate”). Cognate with West Frisian sabje, sobje (“to suck”), Dutch zabben, sabbelen (“to suck”), zabberen (“to drool”), German Low German sabbeln, severn (“to drool”), German sabbern (“to drool, slobber”), Norwegian sabbe (“to spill, drop, make a mess”). Compare also Old English sēofian (“to lament”), German saufen (“to drink, swig”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"“My husband, alas! whom I now (sob, sob) mourn,
A short time since (sob) to this grave (sob) was borne;
And (sob) he lies buried in this (sob, sob) grave.”"
— 1874, George Carter Stent, The Jade Chaplet in Twenty-four Beads, page 9:
"She sigh'd, she sobb'd, and, furious with despair, / She rent her garments, and she tore her hair."
— 1697, Virgil, “Pastoral 5”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
"the Tree, being sobbed and wet, ſwells the Wood"
— 1707, J[ohn] Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way of Managing and Improving of Land. […], London: […] J[ohn] H[umphreys] for H[enry] Mortlock […], and J[onathan] Robinson […], →OCLC:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
When she received the heartbreaking letter, she began to ____ loudly in her room.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She couldn't help but ____ when she watched the very emotional scene at the end of the movie.