MOB
Abbreviation with 4 meanings
| Stands for | Mobile object (computer-controlled enemy) |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 4 |
| Categories | Texting & Internet Slang, Writing & Everyday, Transportation & Travel |
| Also written | Mob. |
MOB has four meanings. The most common are Mobile object (computer-controlled enemy) (gaming slang) and Mother of the bride (dating and relationship); it can also stand for Mobile (phone) and Man overboard.
Meanings of MOB at a glance
| # | MOB stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mobile object (computer-controlled enemy) | Texting & Internet Slang › Gaming Slang |
| 2 | Mother of the bride | Texting & Internet Slang › Dating and Relationship |
| 3 | Mobile (phone) | Writing & Everyday › Email and Office |
| 4 | Man overboard | Transportation & Travel › Maritime |
1. Mobile object (computer-controlled enemy)
Texting & Internet Slang · Gaming Slang Abbreviations
Any computer-controlled creature or enemy in a game, especially in MMORPGs and Minecraft. Players "farm mobs" for experience and loot.
Example: Clear the mobs before we pull the boss.
The term dates to text-based MUDs of the late 1970s and 1980s, where a "mobile" was any non-player object that could move on its own. Minecraft calls all creatures mobs. "Mob grinder" refers to automated farms. Unrelated to "mob" meaning a crowd.
2. Mother of the bride
Texting & Internet Slang · Dating and Relationship Abbreviations
Wedding-planning term for the bride's mother, as in "MOB dress shopping" or "MOB wants a bigger guest list." Its counterpart is MOG, mother of the groom.
Example: MOB wants a say in the guest list and I don't know how to say no.
Common in wedding forums, department-store categories ("MOB dresses") and planning guides, which often discuss etiquette such as who pays for what. In gaming, mob means a computer-controlled enemy, a completely different context.
3. Mobile (phone) (Mob.)
Writing & Everyday · Email and Office Abbreviations
Labels a mobile phone number on business cards, email signatures and forms, chiefly in British, Irish, Australian and Asian usage. Americans usually write "Cell" or "C:" instead.
Example: Mob. 07700 900456, the best number to reach me while I'm on site this week.
The UK range 07700 900000 to 07700 900999 is reserved by the regulator Ofcom for fiction and examples, so such numbers never connect. Some signatures use "M:" for mobile and "T:" for the office line. Formal letterheads usually spell out "Mobile."
4. Man overboard
Transportation & Travel · Maritime Abbreviations
Emergency in which a person falls from a vessel into the water, and the alarm call that prompts immediate recovery procedures. Chartplotters have a MOB button that marks the position instantly.
Example: Hit the MOB button, point at the person in the water and don't take your eyes off them.
Sailing and Coast Guard training emphasize keeping visual contact and maneuvers such as the Williamson turn to return to the person. "Person overboard" is increasingly used as a gender-neutral alternative. Cold water shock can incapacitate a person within minutes.
Related abbreviations
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- MIA – Missing in action
- MMR – Matchmaking rating
- Mod – Modification
- MP – Mana points
- MTX – Microtransactions
- Nat 20 – Natural 20
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