See frob on Wiktionary
{
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "frobnicate"
},
"expansion": "Clipping of frobnicate",
"name": "clipping"
}
],
"etymology_text": "Clipping of frobnicate, from frobnitz, coined circa 1958 by David R. Sawyer of the MIT Tech Model Railroad Club (TMRC). Year of origin uncertain, and could be 1958–1981: frob is not listed in the TMRC dictionaries of 1959 or 1960, and is first listed in the Jargon File (1981 edition), so it may date from the 1960s or 1970s. Possibly variant of or influenced by frotsus (“a protruding arm or trunnion”), which is listed in TMRC 1959 and 1960.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "frobs",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "frob (plural frobs)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "22 25 30 23",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "29 23 28 21",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with 1 entry",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "36 20 25 19",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with entries",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "26 28 16 29",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Unix",
"orig": "en:Unix",
"parents": [
"Computing",
"Technology",
"All topics",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Hand me that frob there, will you?",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Any small device or object (usually hand-sized) which can be manipulated."
],
"id": "en-frob-en-noun-r9g2iBng",
"links": [
[
"device",
"device"
],
[
"object",
"object"
],
[
"hand",
"hand"
],
[
"sized",
"sized"
],
[
"manipulated",
"manipulated"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(MIT, slang) Any small device or object (usually hand-sized) which can be manipulated."
],
"tags": [
"slang"
]
}
],
"wikipedia": [
"Jargon File",
"Tech Model Railroad Club"
],
"word": "frob"
}
{
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "frobnicate"
},
"expansion": "Clipping of frobnicate",
"name": "clipping"
}
],
"etymology_text": "Clipping of frobnicate, from frobnitz, coined circa 1958 by David R. Sawyer of the MIT Tech Model Railroad Club (TMRC). Year of origin uncertain, and could be 1958–1981: frob is not listed in the TMRC dictionaries of 1959 or 1960, and is first listed in the Jargon File (1981 edition), so it may date from the 1960s or 1970s. Possibly variant of or influenced by frotsus (“a protruding arm or trunnion”), which is listed in TMRC 1959 and 1960.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "frobs",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "frobbing",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "frobbed",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "frobbed",
"tags": [
"past"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "frob (third-person singular simple present frobs, present participle frobbing, simple past and past participle frobbed)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"related": [
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0",
"word": "frobnicate"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0",
"word": "frobnitz"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0",
"word": "futz with"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0",
"word": "tweak"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0",
"word": "twiddle"
}
],
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Computing",
"orig": "en:Computing",
"parents": [
"Technology",
"All topics",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w"
},
{
"_dis": "22 25 30 23",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "29 23 28 21",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with 1 entry",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "26 28 16 29",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Unix",
"orig": "en:Unix",
"parents": [
"Computing",
"Technology",
"All topics",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1995, Wayne Ause, Instant HTML Web Pages, page 29:",
"text": "I sketched about 30 different versions, then scanned them in and played around until I got it right, then frobbed it with Photoshop.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To manipulate in some ill-defined way; to tweak or mess about with."
],
"id": "en-frob-en-verb-CLD212Yu",
"links": [
[
"computing",
"computing#Noun"
],
[
"manipulate",
"manipulate"
],
[
"tweak",
"tweak"
],
[
"mess about",
"mess about"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(computing, slang, rare, transitive) To manipulate in some ill-defined way; to tweak or mess about with."
],
"tags": [
"rare",
"slang",
"transitive"
],
"topics": [
"computing",
"engineering",
"mathematics",
"natural-sciences",
"physical-sciences",
"sciences"
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "22 25 30 23",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "29 23 28 21",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with 1 entry",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "26 28 16 29",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Unix",
"orig": "en:Unix",
"parents": [
"Computing",
"Technology",
"All topics",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Why don't you go get lunch? I need to frob with this thing for about 30 minutes and then we'll be good to go.",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To perform a task that is clear to the speaker but too complex or tedious to be explained, so that outside help is not helpful."
],
"id": "en-frob-en-verb-pLgXr147",
"qualifier": "Silicon Valley",
"raw_glosses": [
"(Silicon Valley, slang) To perform a task that is clear to the speaker but too complex or tedious to be explained, so that outside help is not helpful."
],
"tags": [
"slang"
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Programming",
"orig": "en:Programming",
"parents": [
"Computing",
"Software engineering",
"Technology",
"Computer science",
"Engineering",
"Software",
"All topics",
"Sciences",
"Applied sciences",
"Media",
"Fundamental",
"Communication"
],
"source": "w"
},
{
"_dis": "22 25 30 23",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "29 23 28 21",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with 1 entry",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "26 28 16 29",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Unix",
"orig": "en:Unix",
"parents": [
"Computing",
"Technology",
"All topics",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To transform and obscure in a trivial fashion with memfrob(3)."
],
"id": "en-frob-en-verb-wRHCKiJj",
"links": [
[
"programming",
"programming#Noun"
],
[
"Linux",
"Linux"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(programming, Linux, Gnu C) To transform and obscure in a trivial fashion with memfrob(3)."
],
"topics": [
"Linux",
"computing",
"engineering",
"mathematics",
"natural-sciences",
"physical-sciences",
"programming",
"sciences",
"software"
]
}
],
"wikipedia": [
"Jargon File",
"Tech Model Railroad Club"
],
"word": "frob"
}
{
"categories": [
"English clippings",
"English countable nouns",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English lemmas",
"English nouns",
"English verbs",
"Pages with 1 entry",
"Pages with entries",
"en:Unix"
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "frobnicate"
},
"expansion": "Clipping of frobnicate",
"name": "clipping"
}
],
"etymology_text": "Clipping of frobnicate, from frobnitz, coined circa 1958 by David R. Sawyer of the MIT Tech Model Railroad Club (TMRC). Year of origin uncertain, and could be 1958–1981: frob is not listed in the TMRC dictionaries of 1959 or 1960, and is first listed in the Jargon File (1981 edition), so it may date from the 1960s or 1970s. Possibly variant of or influenced by frotsus (“a protruding arm or trunnion”), which is listed in TMRC 1959 and 1960.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "frobs",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "frob (plural frobs)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English slang",
"English terms with usage examples"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Hand me that frob there, will you?",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Any small device or object (usually hand-sized) which can be manipulated."
],
"links": [
[
"device",
"device"
],
[
"object",
"object"
],
[
"hand",
"hand"
],
[
"sized",
"sized"
],
[
"manipulated",
"manipulated"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(MIT, slang) Any small device or object (usually hand-sized) which can be manipulated."
],
"tags": [
"slang"
]
}
],
"wikipedia": [
"Jargon File",
"Tech Model Railroad Club"
],
"word": "frob"
}
{
"categories": [
"English clippings",
"English countable nouns",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English lemmas",
"English nouns",
"English verbs",
"Pages with 1 entry",
"Pages with entries",
"en:Unix"
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "frobnicate"
},
"expansion": "Clipping of frobnicate",
"name": "clipping"
}
],
"etymology_text": "Clipping of frobnicate, from frobnitz, coined circa 1958 by David R. Sawyer of the MIT Tech Model Railroad Club (TMRC). Year of origin uncertain, and could be 1958–1981: frob is not listed in the TMRC dictionaries of 1959 or 1960, and is first listed in the Jargon File (1981 edition), so it may date from the 1960s or 1970s. Possibly variant of or influenced by frotsus (“a protruding arm or trunnion”), which is listed in TMRC 1959 and 1960.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "frobs",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "frobbing",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "frobbed",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "frobbed",
"tags": [
"past"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "frob (third-person singular simple present frobs, present participle frobbing, simple past and past participle frobbed)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"related": [
{
"word": "frobnicate"
},
{
"word": "frobnitz"
},
{
"word": "futz with"
},
{
"word": "tweak"
},
{
"word": "twiddle"
}
],
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English slang",
"English terms with quotations",
"English terms with rare senses",
"English transitive verbs",
"Quotation templates to be cleaned",
"en:Computing"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1995, Wayne Ause, Instant HTML Web Pages, page 29:",
"text": "I sketched about 30 different versions, then scanned them in and played around until I got it right, then frobbed it with Photoshop.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To manipulate in some ill-defined way; to tweak or mess about with."
],
"links": [
[
"computing",
"computing#Noun"
],
[
"manipulate",
"manipulate"
],
[
"tweak",
"tweak"
],
[
"mess about",
"mess about"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(computing, slang, rare, transitive) To manipulate in some ill-defined way; to tweak or mess about with."
],
"tags": [
"rare",
"slang",
"transitive"
],
"topics": [
"computing",
"engineering",
"mathematics",
"natural-sciences",
"physical-sciences",
"sciences"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English slang",
"English terms with usage examples"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Why don't you go get lunch? I need to frob with this thing for about 30 minutes and then we'll be good to go.",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To perform a task that is clear to the speaker but too complex or tedious to be explained, so that outside help is not helpful."
],
"qualifier": "Silicon Valley",
"raw_glosses": [
"(Silicon Valley, slang) To perform a task that is clear to the speaker but too complex or tedious to be explained, so that outside help is not helpful."
],
"tags": [
"slang"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"en:Programming"
],
"glosses": [
"To transform and obscure in a trivial fashion with memfrob(3)."
],
"links": [
[
"programming",
"programming#Noun"
],
[
"Linux",
"Linux"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(programming, Linux, Gnu C) To transform and obscure in a trivial fashion with memfrob(3)."
],
"topics": [
"Linux",
"computing",
"engineering",
"mathematics",
"natural-sciences",
"physical-sciences",
"programming",
"sciences",
"software"
]
}
],
"wikipedia": [
"Jargon File",
"Tech Model Railroad Club"
],
"word": "frob"
}
Download raw JSONL data for frob meaning in All languages combined (4.9kB)
{
"called_from": "form_descriptions/1831",
"msg": "unrecognized sense qualifier: MIT, slang",
"path": [
"frob"
],
"section": "English",
"subsection": "noun",
"title": "frob",
"trace": ""
}
{
"called_from": "form_descriptions/1831",
"msg": "unrecognized sense qualifier: MIT, slang",
"path": [
"frob"
],
"section": "English",
"subsection": "noun",
"title": "frob",
"trace": ""
}
{
"called_from": "form_descriptions/1831",
"msg": "unrecognized sense qualifier: programming, Linux, Gnu C",
"path": [
"frob"
],
"section": "English",
"subsection": "verb",
"title": "frob",
"trace": ""
}
{
"called_from": "form_descriptions/1831",
"msg": "unrecognized sense qualifier: programming, Linux, Gnu C",
"path": [
"frob"
],
"section": "English",
"subsection": "verb",
"title": "frob",
"trace": ""
}
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable All languages combined dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-01 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-11-21 using wiktextract (95d2be1 and 64224ec). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.