ob

See also: Ob, OB, ÖB, ob-, Ob., ob., and об

Contents

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɒb/

Etymology 1

From Latin ob, abbreviation of obolus.

Noun

ob (plural obs)

1. (historical) a halfpenny

Etymology 2

Abbreviations.

Noun

ob (plural obs)

1. (archaic) an objection
2. (genetics) the obese gene

Coordinate terms

• (objection): sol

Anagrams

• BO, Bo, bo

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German

Etymology 1

From Middle High German obe, ob, from Proto-Germanic *jabai (“when, if”). Compare English if.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔp/

• Audio

  (file)

Conjunction

ob

1. (subordinating) if, whether

   ob ... oder ― if ... or

Etymology 2

From Middle High German obe, from Old High German oba. Related with über, oben. A chiefly southern word, pronounced with a short vowel in Alemannic areas and with a long vowel in Austro-Bavarian areas. In the north, the short vowel is from etymology 1, perhaps also reinforced by association with regional forms of auf (Central Franconian op, Low German up, op). The long vowel is standard in Obacht, beobachten.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔp/ (German standard; Switzerland)
• IPA^(key): /oːp/ (Austria; Bavaria)

Preposition

ob

1. (formal, literary, + dative or genitive) on account of
2. (archaic or dialectal, + dative) over, above, on

Synonyms

• (on account of): angesichts
• (over, above): über

Antonyms

• (over, above): unter; (obsolete) nied, nid

Derived terms

• ob-
• obderennsisch
• Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Further reading

• ob in Duden online
• ob in Duden online
• “ob” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “ob” in canoo.net

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Latin

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *h₁epi. Cognate with Ancient Greek ἐπί (epí), Sanskrit अपि (ápi), Avestan 𐬀𐬌𐬞𐬌‎ (aipi), Old Persian [script needed] (apiy), and Old Armenian եւ (ew). Also related to English by.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ob/, [ɔb]

Preposition

ob (+ accusative)

1. in the direction of, to, towards
2. on account of, according to, because of, due to, for (the purpose of)
3. against; facing

Usage notes

• The preposition ob is used as a combining prefix with many other words, particularly verbs. In compounds, the b is often assimilated into the next consonant, as in oppose.

Derived terms

• obiectum
• obsequor
• occlūdō
• offero
• oppīlō
• oppōnō
• oppositiō

 

Descendants

• English: ob-

References

• ob in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• ob in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• ob in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• Carl Meissner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • I blame this in you; I censure you for this: hoc in te reprehendo (not ob eam rem)
    

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Luxembourgish

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *jabai (“when, if”), from Proto-Indo-European *e-, *ē- (“then, at that time”). Cognate with English if, West Frisian oft (“whether”), Dutch of (“or, whether, but”), Middle Low German ef (“if, whether”), German ob (“if, whether”), Icelandic ef, if (“if”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /op/

Adverb

ob

1. if, whether

   Weess du, ob d'Apdikt muer op ass?

   Do you know if the pharmacy is open tomorrow?

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Novial

Particle

ob

1. initial interrogative particle

Conjunction

ob

1. (subordinating) whether or not, if

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Old Irish

Noun

ob f

1. Alternative form of aub

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Volapük

Etymology

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ob/

Pronoun

ob

1. I (first-person singular, nominative)

Declension

Volapük personal pronouns

			nominative	genitive	dative	accusative	possessive
1st person		singular	ob	oba	obe	obi	obik
		plural	obs	obas	obes	obis	obsik
2nd person	familiar	singular	ol	ola	ole	oli	olik
		plural	ols	olas	oles	olis	olsik
	polite	singular	or	ora	ore	ori	orik
		plural	ors	oras	ores	oris	orsik
3rd person	m	singular	om	oma	ome	omi	omik
		plural	oms	omas	omes	omis	omsik
	f	singular	of	ofa	ofe	ofi	ofik
		plural	ofs	ofas	ofes	ofis	ofsik
	n definite	singular	on	ona	one	oni	onik
		plural	ons	onas	ones	onis	onsik
	n indefinite	singular	os	osa	ose	osi	osik
indefinite		singular	oy	oya	oye	oyi	oyik
reflexive	oneself	singular	ok	oka	oke	oki	okik
		plural	oks	okas	okes	okis	oksik
	each other	singular	od	oda	ode	odi	odik
		plural	ods	odas	odes	odis	odsik

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White Hmong

White Hmong cardinal numbers

<  1	2	3  >
Cardinal : ob

Etymology

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ʔu̯i (“two”). Cognate with Iu Mien i.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔɒ˥/

Numeral

ob

1. two

References

• Ernest E. Heimbach, White Hmong - English Dictionary (1979, SEAP Publications)