Definition

1. Noun:

   • A momentary juggling or fumbling of a ball, especially in baseball: A bobble refers to a brief loss of control when catching or fielding a ball, often resulting in a slight fumble or juggle before it is secured.

2. Verb:

   • To handle clumsily; to fumble or botch: To bobble means to mishandle or fail to control something smoothly, often leading to a mistake or error.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The shortstop's bobble allowed the runner to reach base safely.
  • It was a simple catch, but he made a bobble and dropped the ball.

• Verb:

  • The catcher bobbled the pitch, and the runner advanced.
  • She bobbled the keys and they fell into the gutter.

Advanced Usage

• "To bobble a chance": To mishandle or fail to take advantage of an opportunity.

  • The striker bobbled a golden chance to score in the final minute.

• "A series of bobbles": Multiple consecutive errors or fumbles.

  • The team's defense was undone by a series of bobbles in the third inning.

Variants and Related Words

• Bobblehead (noun): A type of collectible doll with a head that springs and wobbles.
  • He has a collection of baseball bobblehead dolls.

Synonyms

• Noun: Fumble, juggle, mishandle, error.
• Verb: Fumble, botch, mishandle, flub, screw up.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Bobble away: To lose or squander an opportunity through clumsy handling.
  • They bobbled away their lead with several defensive errors.

Related Idioms

• No idiom directly and exclusively uses "bobble." However, the concept is often implied in sports idioms about errors, such as "to drop the ball."

Noun

1. the momentary juggling of a batted or thrown baseball
   • the second baseman made a bobble but still had time to throw the runner out

Verb

1. make a mess of, destroy or ruin
   • I botched the dinner and we had to eat out
   • the pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement