to lob a question
- phrasal verb
- Informal
:
lanzar una pregunta
- He likes to lob a question to break the ice at meetings.
Examples
-
During the interview, she lobbed a question about the company's future plans.
-
Why don't you just lob a question at her?
-
The reporter lobbed a question from the back of the crowded room.
-
He decided to lob a question during the meeting.
-
At the party, he casually lobbed a question about everyone's weekend plans.
-
She often lobs a question during group discussions to keep the conversation light.
-
During the Q&A session, he lobbed a question that made everyone smile.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
To request information or an answer from someone
1
3.7
To ask a question quickly and directly
How Casual
- Informal
- Informal
1
3.7
∞
1.0
- Formal
16
3.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
The verb 'lob' (to propel something in a high arc) maps metaphorically onto 'throw/pose' a question, so a learner who knows both constituents can usually infer the idea of asking a question in a gentle or casual way. Because this is a metaphorical extension rather than a strictly compositional, literal meaning, the specific nuance of nonchalance may not be fully predictable to all B1 learners without prior exposure.
Etymology
Lob a question comes from sports, where to lob means to throw a ball high and easy over an opponent. Imagine throwing a soft, high ball: you are 'throwing' the question gently, without forcing an answer, which is why it means 'to ask casually'.