noun
ob
ob
noun
1
A short informal way of saying "observation," especially in medical or scientific settings.
"The nurse put the patient under ob for a few hours after surgery."
2
A shortened form of "objection," as used in debate or argument.
"He raised an ob to the new proposal before the vote even started."
How to Use Ob
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA clipped, informal short form used mainly for "observation" or "objection" depending on context.
When to use it
Jargon-like shorthand — common in medical charts and debate slang, not standard writing.
Word Forms
obs plural, obs plural
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The nurse put the patient under _____ for a few hours after surgery.
Etymology
From Latin ob, originally an abbreviation of obolus, a small ancient coin; the modern shortened senses (observation, objection) are simply clipped forms of the longer English words.