/ mɒb; NAmE mɑːb/ noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ C , sing.+ sing./pl. v . ] a large crowd of people, especially one that may become violent or cause trouble :
an angry / unruly mob
The mob was / were preparing to storm the building.
an excited mob of fans
mob rule (= a situation in which a mob has control, rather than people in authority)
—see also lynch mob
2.
[ C , usually sing. ] ( informal ) a group of people who are similar in some way
SYN gang :
All the usual mob were there.
3.
the Mob [ sing. ] ( informal ) the people involved in organized crime; the Mafia
4.
[ C ] ( AustralE , NZE ) a group of animals :
a mob of cattle
SYN flock , herd
•
IDIOMS
see heavy adjective
■ verb ( -bb- ) [ vn ] [ usually passive ]
1.
if a crowd of birds or animals mob another bird or animal, they gather round it and attack it
2.
if a person is mobbed by a crowd of people, the crowd gathers round them in order to see them and try and get their attention
SYN besiege
••
WORD ORIGIN
late 17th cent.: abbreviation of archaic mobile , short for Latin mobile vulgus excitable crowd.