1 C1 neutral
To dip one's head or body briefly below the surface of water.
"The children squealed and bobbed under the waves as they played in the sea."
inseparable
bob under
C1 neutral inseparable intransitive
To dip briefly below the surface of water or below an obstacle.
In plain English
To go under the water (or something low) quickly and come back up.
What does "bob under" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 neutral
To quickly lower yourself to pass beneath a low obstacle.
"She bobbed under the barrier and slipped into the backstage area."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To move with a bobbing motion below something.
Actually means
To go under the water (or something low) quickly and come back up.
Usage tip
Used mainly in the context of water play, swimming, or moving under a low barrier. Infrequent in everyday speech; more common in descriptive or narrative writing.
Words that pair with "bob under"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
water surface wave barrier rope tape
How to conjugate "bob under"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
bob under
I/you/we/they
3rd person
bobs under
he/she/it
Past simple
bobed under
yesterday
Past participle
bobed under
have + pp
-ing form
bobing under
continuous
Hear "bob under" in the wild
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Other ways to say "bob under"
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