fob

UK: 'FOB': /ˌɛfəʊˈbiː/; 'fob': /ˈfɒb/ US: /fɑb/ ,(fob)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

fob¹ /fɑb/   n. [countable]

1. Clothing a short chain or ribbon attached to a pocket watch.
2. an ornament on a fob.

fob² /fɑb/   v., fobbed, fob•bing. Idioms

1. fob off:
   • to dispose of or induce someone to take (something inferior);
     palm off: [~ + off + object]
     The car dealer fobbed off an inferior car on the buyer.
     [~ + object + off]
     He fobbed it off on the buyer.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

fob¹  (fob), n. 

1. Clothing a small pocket just below the waistline in trousers for a watch, keys, change, etc. Cf. watch pocket.
2. Clothing a short chain or ribbon, usually with a medallion or similar ornament, attached to a watch and worn hanging from a pocket.
3. the medallion or ornament itself.

• 1645–55; origin, originally uncertain; compare German dialect, dialectal Fuppe pocket

fob²  (fob), v.t., fobbed, fob•bing. 

1. [Archaic.] to cheat;
   deceive.
2. fob off:
   • to cheat someone by substituting something spurious or inferior;
     palm off (often fol. by on):
     He tried to fob off an inferior brand on us.
   • to put (someone) off by deception or trickery:
     She fobbed us off with false promises.

• 1350–1400; Middle English fobben; cognate with German foppen to delude; compare fob¹

f.o.b., [Com.]

1. Business free on board: without charge to the buyer for goods placed on board a carrier at the point of shipment:
   automobiles shipped f.o.b. Detroit.

Also, F.O.B. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

fob / fɒb/ noun

1. a chain or ribbon by which a pocket watch is attached to a waistcoat
2. any ornament hung on such a chain
3. a small pocket in a waistcoat, for holding a watch

Etymology: 17th Century: probably of Germanic origin; compare German dialect Fuppe pocket

fob / fɒb/ verb (fobs, fobbing, fobbed)

1. an archaic word for cheat

Etymology: 15th Century: probably from German foppen to trick

fob / fɒb/ noun

1. an immigrant who has newly arrived
2. a Pacific Islander who has newly arrived in New Zealand

Etymology: 20th Century: from f(resh) o(ff) (the) b(oat)

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

f.o.b., FOB abbreviation

1. free on board