light bob
Preserved but no longer current.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
A soldier of the light infantry company.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Sense 2
Meaning · English
A light infantry soldier.—Military.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “light bob” mean?
A soldier of the light infantry company.
Is “light bob” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.