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emu bob

(Australia) A task assigned to a group of people, especially schoolchildren or army recruits, where they move around an area and pick up rubbish from the ground.

ˈiˌmju ˈbɑb146 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇦🇺 Australian & NZ slang
2 definitions
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Definitions

Australia
#1·Apr 27, 2026AUS

(Australia) A task assigned to a group of people, especially schoolchildren or army recruits, where they move around an area and pick up rubbish from the ground.

Origin: The motion of the people repeatedly bending down and standing up is likened to emus bobbing their head as they forage on the ground. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

"emu bob" means: A task assigned to a group of people, especially schoolchildren or army recruits, where they move around an area and pick up rubbish from th.... This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

"emu bob" means: A task assigned to a group of people, especially schoolchildren or army recruits, where they move around an area and pick up rubbish from th.... Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.

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Australia
#2·Apr 27, 2026AUS

(Australia, uncommon) Any activity which involves repetitive bending down over a wide area, such as searching for clues relating to somebody's disappearance.

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For specific readers

"emu bob" means: A task assigned to a group of people, especially schoolchildren or army recruits, where they move around an area and pick up rubbish from th.... This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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Australia

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🇦🇺About Australian & NZ slang slang

Aussie and Kiwi vocabulary — bogan, daggy, brekkie, sheila, bach, jandals — the whole Antipodean lexicon, including outback dialect, surf and beach culture, and Sydney/Melbourne street slang.

See all Australian & NZ slang slang on Slangora.

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