What does "bobtail" mean?
A short, or deliberately shortened tail.
Bobtail
/ˈbɑbteɪl/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A short, or deliberately shortened tail.
- Grammar: bobtail is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: dock, abridged, bob, bobtailed.
- Useful contrasts: enlarge, extend, extended.
- Usage evidence: Do you remember that stray cat with a bobtail that used to come into our yard and meow for food?
How to use "bobtail"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "bobtail" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "bobtail" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "bobtail" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "bobtail" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "bobtail" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "dock" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "bobtail", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A short, or deliberately shortened tail.
- 2 large sheepdog with a profuse shaggy bluish-grey-and-white coat and short tail; believed to trace back to the Roman occupation of Britain wordnet
- 3 An animal that has a bobtail, such as certain canines or nags.
- 4 a short or shortened tail of certain animals wordnet
- 5 A tractor which performs without its trailer.
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 A tractor-trailer that is relatively short in length.
- 7 A tractor-trailer that is relatively short in length.; The tractor unit of a semi-truck without a trailer.
- 8 An open-ended straight or four flush. attributive, often
"a bobtail flush"
- 9 A bobtail squid.
- 10 A bobtail skink.
Verb
- 1 To drive a tractor without its trailer.
"2002. David Diamond. The Trucker & The Professor, Wired (magazine), Issue 9.12http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/sheffi.html?pg=2&topic=&topic_set= He deposits his trailer at a Marten facility in nearby Stockton, and then drives without the trailer - that's called "bobtailing"."
- 2 To drive a truck or other vehicle without its trailer.
"2003. Bergmann Co. Bergmann's Cleaning History:https://web.archive.org/web/20071012131035/http://bergmanns.com/company_history.asp W.C. Bergmann was supplementing his meager lamplighter's income by "bobtailing"… picking up laundry and cleaning in his horse drawn truck..."
Adjective
- 1 having a short or shortened tail wordnet
Example
"Do you remember that stray cat with a bobtail that used to come into our yard and meow for food?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "bobtail"?
Common synonyms include: dock, abridged, bob, bobtailed, condensed, crop.
How do you use "bobtail" in a sentence?
Do you remember that stray cat with a bobtail that used to come into our yard and meow for food?
How do you pronounce "bobtail"?
Pronounced /ˈbɑbteɪl/.
Etymology
From bob + tail.