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fob

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fresh off the boat

Newly immigrated, especially without having yet assimilated the host country's language, culture, and/or behavior. My grandfather was still fresh off the boat when he opened up his business here in 1820, and he didn't speak a lick of English.

See also: boat, fresh, off

fob someone or something off (on or onto someone)

to get rid of someone or something by transferring someone or something to someone. Don't try to fob your girlfriend off on me! He also fobbed off a bad car on Jane. Some car dealers are always trying to fob something off.

See also: fob, off

fob something off on somebody

also fob off something on somebody

to trick or persuade someone to take something Do you think we can fob the children off on Grandma this weekend? This guy fobbed off a fake diamond on me.

Related vocabulary: palm off something

See also: fob, off, on

fob off

1. Sell or dispose of goods by fraud or deception, as in They tried to fob off the zircon as a diamond. [c. 1600]

2. Put off or appease by deceitful means, as in We needed her help but were fobbed off by promises. [c. 1600]

See also: fob, off

fob off

v.

1. To dispose of something by fraud or deception; palm off: The jeweler fobbed off the zircon as a diamond. The crook fobbed the broken computer off as functional.

2. To put someone off or appease someone by deceit or evasion: He wanted to go on a date, but she fobbed him off with excuses. The landlord fobbed off the tenants' complaints for another month.

See also: fob, off

FOB

mod. fresh off the boat; as gullible and trusting as a new immigrant. (Initialism. A play on the initials of Free on Board.) Where did you get those FOB shoes? Blue suede is back?