Definition

Noun: A small, flat hairpin made of folded metal wire, with its two prongs held tightly together by tension. It is designed to hold sections of hair securely in place, particularly shorter or "bobbed" hairstyles.

Usage

The term "bobby pin" is a countable noun. It is used to refer to the physical object itself. * She used a bobby pin to secure the loose strand of hair. * I need to buy more bobby pins; I keep losing them.

Advanced Usage

• "To put one's hair up with bobby pins": To style and secure hair using these pins.
  • She quickly put her hair up with bobby pins before her workout.
• Regional Variation: In British English, this item is commonly called a "hair grip" or simply a "grip".
  • In Britain they call a bobby pin a grip.

Variants and Related Words

• Hairpin (n): A more general term for any pin used to hold hair in place, which can include bobby pins, decorative pins, and U-shaped pins.
• Grip (n): The British English term for a bobby pin.

Synonyms

• Hair grip (UK)
• Kirby grip (a proprietary brand name sometimes used generically, primarily in the UK)

Antonyms

• There are no direct antonyms, as it is a specific object. Opposing concepts might include hair down or loose hair.

Related Phrases

• "To bobby pin something" (verb phrase, informal): To fasten or secure something, not necessarily hair, using a bobby pin.
  • The curtain was falling, so she bobby pinned it to the wall temporarily.

Noun

1. a flat wire hairpin whose prongs press tightly together; used to hold bobbed hair in place
   • in Britain they call a bobby pin a grip