bobble

American  

[bob-uhl] / ˈbɒb əl /

noun

1. a repeated, jerky movement; bob.

2. a momentary fumbling or juggling of a batted or thrown baseball.

3. an error; mistake.

4. a small ball of fabric usually used decoratively, as in a fringe or other trimming.

   a sweater with a line of bobbles up the sleeves.

---

verb (used with object)

bobbled, bobbling

1. to juggle or fumble (a batted or thrown baseball) momentarily, usually resulting in an error.

bobble British  

/ ˈbɒbəl /

noun

1. a short jerky motion, as of a cork floating on disturbed water; bobbing movement

2. a tufted ball, usually for ornament, as on a knitted hat

3. any small dangling ball or bundle

---

verb

1. (intr) sport (of a ball) to bounce with a rapid erratic motion due to an uneven playing surface

2. informal  to handle (something) ineptly; muff; bungle

   he bobbled the ball and lost the game

Etymology

Origin of bobble

1805–15; bob ¹ + -le; bobble ( def. 4 ) perhaps new formation with bob ²

Example Sentences

At third base, Hernández tagged up once, then again after seeing Frelick’s bobble, before finally breaking for home plate as the Brewers relayed the ball in.

From Los Angeles Times

Ryan Christie's corner, a bobble about and a smack into the Greek net.

From BBC

An exception is a small Loewe bucket bag inspired by Josef’s early glass assemblage experiments when he was a Bauhaus student, which abounds with glass bobbles and haptic surprise.

From Los Angeles Times

He muffed a punt that set up the Saints in scoring position and later bobbled another before recovering it, prompting rookie Luke Grimm to take over punt return duties in the second half.

From Los Angeles Times

After controlling a bobbling pass and setting himself up in one touch, the 21-year-old rifled a hip-height volley on the swivel past Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simon at full stretch.

From BBC

Related Words

• bumble
• bungle
• err
• flub
• fumble
• miscalculate
• mishandle
• misjudge
• mismanage
• muff
• screw up