noun
nob
nob
noun
1
A informal, often mildly mocking British term for a wealthy or upper-class person.
"The nobs from the big house never mixed with the villagers."
"He talked posh, like some kind of nob."
verb
1
To hit someone on the head (informal/dialect).
"He got nobbed with a rolled-up newspaper."
How to Use Nob
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA slang word, mainly British, for someone rich or upper-class — usually said with a bit of an edge.
When to use it
Informal and slightly derogatory; not used in formal writing.
Common pairings
a bit of a nob
posh nobs
Word Forms
nobbed past tense, nobs singular
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The _____ from the big house never mixed with the villagers.
Etymology
Thought to come from an old spelling of "knob" (head), later extended to mean a "big head" or important person — the same idea behind "bigwig."