ENGLISH
REFERENCE

mob

n. countable
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈmɑb// UK //mˈɒb// mob Archaic

n. a large, disorganized group of people who are often angry or out of control. You use this word when the crowd seems dangerous or likely to cause trouble.

n. a large and disorderly crowd of people, especially one prone to rioting or violence. Often carries a pejorative connotation, implying a lack of individual reason or collective restraint.


SIMPLE

The angry mob gathered outside the building.

CONTEXTUAL

Police were called to disperse the mob before any property damage could occur during the protest.

COMPLEX

Historians often distinguish between a peaceful assembly and a mob, noting that the latter is defined by a sudden shift toward collective aggression and volatility.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English mob, short for mobile, from Latin mōbile (vulgus) (“fickle (crowd)”).

Etymology 2

Alteration of mab.

Etymology 3

Clipping of mobile. The video-gaming sense is sometimes reported as an abbreviation of man or beast or of mobile object, but these are backronyms.

Usage

Often used with the definite article 'the' to refer to the common people in a derogatory way, or capitalized as 'the Mob' to refer to organized crime.

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