bobtail meaning: definition, etymology

bobtail

noun

US /ˈbɑbteɪl/

Etymology From bob + tail.

8 senses

A short, or deliberately shortened tail.

An animal that has a bobtail, such as certain canines or nags.

Agriculture, Business, Lifestyle A tractor which performs without its trailer.

A tractor-trailer that is relatively short in length.

The tractor unit of a semi-truck without a trailer.

Card games, Poker Often An open-ended straight or four flush.

A bobtail squid.

A bobtail skink.

Derived terms: bobtail flush, bobtail lizard, bobtail squid, bobtail trophon, Kurilian Bobtail, ragtag and bobtail, rag, tag and bobtail, ragtail and bobtail, tag-rag and bobtail

verb

Etymology From bob + tail.

Agriculture, Business, Lifestyle To drive a tractor without its trailer.

2002. David Diamond. The Trucker & The Professor, Wired (magazine), Issue 9.12http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/sheffi.html?pg=2&topic=&topic_set= He deposits his trailer at a Marten facility in nearby Stockton, and then drives without the trailer - that's called "bobtailing".

To drive a truck or other vehicle without its trailer.

2003. Bergmann Co. Bergmann's Cleaning History:https://web.archive.org/web/20071012131035/http://bergmanns.com/company_history.asp W.C. Bergmann was supplementing his meager lamplighter's income by "bobtailing"… picking up laundry and cleaning in his horse drawn truck...