sobs

1. 1
   noun

   Plural of sob.

   Between sobs, she managed to explain what had happened.

   His shoulders shook with heavy sobs after the funeral.

   Note

   Weeping is only one reading of this spelling. Written in capitals, SOBs is the plural of an initialism, and the most common is son of a bitch, a vulgar slang insult. The same letters also abbreviate souls on board, sum of best and start of business. In prose about crying, keep the word lowercase. Capitals tell the reader an abbreviation is meant, and context decides which one.

2. 2
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present of sob.

   He sobs into his pillow after every argument with his father.

   The grieving widow sobs quietly whenever the subject comes up.

   Note

   The verb can stand alone or take an object. Most often it stands alone: he sobs into his pillow. It can also carry the words themselves, so that what is said while weeping becomes its object, as in "It's over," she sobs. A separate, unrelated meaning, to soak, shares the spelling and has nothing to do with tears. Context easily separates the two.

   "I never meant it," she sobs, turning away from the door.

   He sobs an apology into the phone and hangs up.

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