v. & n.
v.intr. (bobbed, bobbing) 1 move quickly up and down; dance. 2 (usu. foll. by back, up) a bounce buoyantly. b emerge suddenly; become active or conspicuous again after a defeat etc. 3 curtsy. 4 (foll. by for) try to catch with the mouth alone (fruit etc. floating or hanging).
n. 1 a jerking or bouncing movement, esp. upward. 2 a curtsy. 3 one of several kinds of change in long peals in bell-ringing.
[ 14th c.: prob. imit. ]