Bob Hope

21 4.6

A comedian and actor born in England, famous for films, radio, and TV

proper noun
/bɑb hoʊp/

: Bob Hope

Bob Hope entertained American troops for decades with his signature comedy shows.

Examples

The legendary comedian Bob Hope starred in many films alongside Bing Crosby.
Did you know Bob Hope was born in England?
Bob Hope entertained American troops for decades with his signature comedy shows.
Many people remember Bob Hope for his dedication to entertaining soldiers overseas.
Many people remember Bob Hope for his incredible sense of humor.
Many people remember Bob Hope for his dedication to entertaining soldiers overseas.
The legendary comedian Bob Hope starred in many films alongside Bing Crosby.

Surface Forms

Bob Hope main

Morphology

Bob + Hope

This is a proper name referring to a specific individual (the comedian/actor Bob Hope); that identity cannot be derived from the constituents 'Bob' and 'hope'. Proper nouns are arbitrary labels, so a B1 learner who knows the words would not be able to infer the referent or profession from the parts alone.

Etymology

Bob Hope was born Leslie Townes Hope in England but became famous in the United States as a comedian who did short shows for soldiers overseas. Picture him on stage making troops laugh, and you can see why his name now makes people think of a friendly entertainer who brought 'hope' and laughter.