the.com/fob
A plastic key that decides whether you belong, judged solely by its presence in your pocket.
means A fob is a small device or key attachment—often electronic—that grants access by being scanned or carried, or historically a small ornament hung from a pocket-watch chain.
from "Fob" surfaced in the 17th century meaning a small pocket, especially the little waistcoat pocket that held a watch—possibly related to a dialectal German word 'Fuppe' for pocket, though the trail is murky. From the pocket it migrated to the dangling chain and trinket worn outside it, and centuries later to the keychain bauble. The verb "to fob off" (to palm something off, to cheat) is a separate, older sense tied to deception—best not confused with the pocket word, despite the shared spelling.
- word origin
- From a German word for small pocket
- watch fobs
- Originally decorative chains dangling from pocket watches
- radio waves
- Most fobs work via short-range RFID signals
- slang twist
- Also means fresh off the boat, often derogatory
- replacement cost
- Car fobs can cost hundreds to replace
fob watch — pocket watch attached to a chain or ribbon, popular in the 19th-20th centuries
free on board — shipping term used in international trade since the 1700s, specifying where seller's liability ends