In language learning, false friends are words in the target language that sound similar to words in the native language but have a different meaning. For example, the word ‘dres’ (meaning tracksuit) in Polish sounds the same as the word ‘dress’ in English. This can lead to awkward or comical situations such as the student who described her hometown as being “full of men wearing dresses”.

Another false friend that often arises is the word ‘mobbing’.  

A quick online search in Polish for the word ‘mobbing’ returns results such as mobbing w pracy, antymobbingowe and others. In the same context in the UK, and in most other English-speaking countries, the word used would be ‘bullying, (e.g. bullying in the workplace, antibullying practices and procedures, online bullying, cyberbullying, etc.).

Here it is important to note that mobbing can be used as a sociological term in reference to a particular type of bullying that is perpetrated by a group rather than an individual. Outside of this narrow academic area, the term bullying is preferred when talking about human behaviour and this is what native speakers would use when discussing the issue.

In English ‘mob’ is a noun for a crowd of people, often disorderly, unruly, or riotous.
e.g. The angry mob gathered outside the courthouse, demanding justice.

It can also be used as a slang term to describe a gang of criminals or as a synonym for the mafia.
e.g. Law enforcement agencies conducted a raid on the mob’s headquarters, aiming to dismantle their criminal operations.

As a verb it can mean to behave in an uncontrolled way as a crowd,
e.g. The employees mobbed the manager with complaints about the new policy.

to crowd into a building or place,
e.g. The protestors mobbed the entrance, preventing anyone from entering the building.

and to surround someone such as celebrity or film star.
e.g. Paparazzi photographers would often mob the actor whenever he appeared in public.

As a noun, a bully is a person who frightens or hurts other people, physically, mentally, or emotionally, often to get those people to do something that the bully wants them to do.

e.g. She’s a terrible bully and always intimidates other staff into agreeing to things that are unfair.

Bullying is the abstract noun for such behaviour.

e.g. The teacher intervened when she witnessed bullying in the classroom.

As a verb, to bully someone means to force someone (a smaller or weaker person) into doing something or make someone do something by using force, intimidation, persecution, or threats.

e.g. He would often bully his classmates into giving him their lunch money.

Below are example sentences using the words ‘mob’ and ‘bully’.

‘Mob’ as a noun

1. A mob of students stormed the cafeteria when they heard there were free snacks.
2. We had to navigate through a mob of shoppers to reach the checkout counter.
3. The mob descended upon the town square, waving banners and chanting slogans.

‘Mob’ as a verb

1. The excited children mobbed the magician after his performance, eager to see his tricks up close.
2. When the store announced a flash sale, shoppers mobbed the aisles, grabbing whatever they could.
3. Despite warnings from the authorities, the fans continued to mob the field after the game, seeking souvenirs.

Mobbing (the -ing form of the verb – not as an abstract noun)

1. After the concert, fans started mobbing the singer for autographs.
2. The celebrity was overwhelmed by the crowd mobbing her at the airport.
3. During the sale, shoppers were mobbing the aisles looking for the best deals.

‘Bully’ as a noun

1. The principal took action against the bully after several complaints from students and parents.
2. He felt empowered after standing up to the bully who had been tormenting him for months.
3. The community came together to address the issue of bullying and support victims of the bully’s harassment.

‘Bully’ as a verb

1. She refused to be bullied into making a decision she wasn’t comfortable with.
2. The boss would bully his employees into working overtime without pay.
3. He tried to bully his way to the front of the line, but others stood their ground.

 ‘Bullying’ as an abstract noun

5. Parents should be vigilant in recognizing signs of bullying in their children.
6. Social media platforms need to take stronger measures to combat online bullying.
7. The school implemented a program to address bullying among students.