Rob

Pronunciation

• UK enPR: rŏb, IPA: /rÉ’b/
• Rhymes: -É’b
• US enPR: räb, IPA: /rÉ‘b/

Middle English robben, from Anglo-Norman rober, robber, from Old Dutch *rōbōn (compare Dutch roven), from Proto-Germanic *raubōną (compare English reave). More at reave.

Full definition of rob

Verb

1. (transitive) To steal from, especially using force or violence.
   He robbed three banks before he was caught.
2. (transitive) To deprive of, or withhold from, unjustly or injuriously; to defraud.
• William Shakespeare (1564-1616)I never robbed the soldiers of their pay.
3. (transitive, figuratively, used with "of") To deprive (of).
   Working all day robs me of any energy to go out in the evening.
• 1914, Louis Joseph Vance, Nobody Chapter 1, Little disappointed, then, she turned attention to "Chat of the Social World," gossip which exercised potent fascination upon the girl's intelligence. She devoured with more avidity than she had her food those pretentiously phrased chronicles of the snobocracy … distilling therefrom an acid envy that robbed her napoleon of all its savour.
4. (intransitive, slang) To burgle.
• 2008, National Public Radio, All Things Considered, Sept 4, 2008Her house was robbed.
5. (intransitive) To commit robbery.
6. (sports) To take possession of the ball, puck etc. from.
• 2011, September 28, Tom Rostance, Arsenal 2-1 Olympiakos, Kevin Mirallas then robbed Bacary Sagna to run into the area and draw another save from Szczesny as the Gunners held on to lead at the break.

Derived terms

Related terms

• reave, bereave
• rip
• rubble, rubbish distant relatives, from Proto-Germanic root raub-

French; compare Spanish rob, Italian rob, robbo, Portuguese robe, arrobe, and similar Arabic and Persian words.

Alternative forms

• rhob, rohob

Noun

1. The inspissated juice of ripe fruit, obtained by evaporation of the juice over a fire until it reaches a syrupy consistency. It is sometimes mixed with honey or sugar.

Anagrams

• bor
• bro
• orb