fob [LME] To fob someone off meant ‘to cheat, deceive’ in medieval days. Although the origin is uncertain, it may be related to German foppen ‘deceive, cheat, banter’, or to fop [LME] originally used to mean a fool. In the mid 17th century a fob was a small pocket in the waistband of a pair of breeches, for carrying a watch or other valuables. The use of the word to mean a chain attached to a watch developed from this. Again the origin is uncertain, but it is probably related to German dialect Fuppe ‘pocket’.