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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

hobble en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • (Southern-England) audio
  • /ˈhɒbəl/

Etymology

From Middle English hobblen, hobelen, akin to Middle Dutch hoblen, hobbelen (Modern Dutch hobbelen), Middle High German hoppeln (“to hop, limp, hobble”).

Meanings

  1. (in-plural) One of the short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses, allowing them to wander short distances but preventing them from running off.
  2. An unsteady, off-balance step.
    • We made it and we hobbled up the stairs. Or I hobbled. My sons didn't hobble, I hobbled. 2017, Sam Shepard, chapter 37, in Spy of the First Person, →ISBN, page 82:
  3. (archaic, informal) A difficult situation; a scrape.
    • "Saddle a horse—any horse—only let him be sure and fleet," cried Ashwoode, "and I'll pay you his price thrice over!" "Well, it's a bargain," replied the groom, promptly; "I don't like to see a gentleman caught in a hobble, if I can help him out of it. […] 1845, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, The Cock and Anchor:
  4. (Newfoundland, UK, dialectal) An odd job; a piece of casual work.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
hobbles Number=Plur lexicographic

Synonyms

tether

Translations (97)

dar чедир (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · nb fotlenke (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · sh bukàgije (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · it sbilanciamento (An unsteady, off-balance step) · gl pexa (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · mk ку́цање (An unsteady, off-balance step) · mn чөдөр (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · es manea (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · az cidar (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · ota كوستك (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · sh шкло̏це (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · it traballamento (An unsteady, off-balance step) · ka ფარმანდი (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · ky тушак (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · ga habal (An unsteady, off-balance step) · hy ոտկապ (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · fr abot (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · ky өрөө (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · hy թշու (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · tr aksama (An unsteady, off-balance step) · mn тушаа (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · gl péga (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · it vacillamento (An unsteady, off-balance step) · lbe чидар (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · es atadura (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · pl kuśtykanie (An unsteady, off-balance step) · tr köstek (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · az çidar (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · sh бука̀гије (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · es suelta (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · tt tışaw (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · kk тұсау (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · ba тышау (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · tr bukağı (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · ka დუშაყი (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · nb halting (An unsteady, off-balance step) · sh nȅgve (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · hy քեստաղ (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · de Fußfessel (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · it pastoia (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · el πέδικλο (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · cs kulhání (An unsteady, off-balance step) · nb lenke (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · de Spannstrick (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · uk пута (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · tt тышау (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · ota بوقاغی (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · uz тушов (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · la pedica (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · cs řemen (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · xal чөдр (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · it ceppi (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · eu peya (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · ru пу́ты (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · pl pęta (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · fa اشکیل (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · fi kammitsa (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · fr entrave (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · bua тушаа (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · hy չիդար (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · wa epîtoe (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · da fodreb (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · el πεδίκλωμα (An unsteady, off-balance step) · mi herehere waewae (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · bg букаи́ (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · av читӏир (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · hy ոտնակապ (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · gl cadarme (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · ary شكال (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · crh tırşav (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · ar شِكَال (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · xal туша (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · xcl ճախանոց (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · sh не̏гве (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · ru трено́га (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · mk со́пка (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · gl solta (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · cs belhání (An unsteady, off-balance step) · ky тушоо (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · atv тужак (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · it lacci (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · az buxov (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · uk кульгання (An unsteady, off-balance step) · alt тужак (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · it barcollamento (An unsteady, off-balance step) · sh šklȍce (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · alt тужу (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · fi nilkutus (An unsteady, off-balance step) · pl kulenie (An unsteady, off-balance step) · az tuşağ (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · nb humping (An unsteady, off-balance step) · tk душак (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · ru ковыля́ние (An unsteady, off-balance step) · da humpen (An unsteady, off-balance step) · uk шкандибання (An unsteady, off-balance step) · ar عِقَال (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses) · ug өрə (Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses)

hobble en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • (Southern-England) audio
  • /ˈhɒbəl/

Etymology

From Middle English hobblen, hobelen, akin to Middle Dutch hoblen, hobbelen (Modern Dutch hobbelen), Middle High German hoppeln (“to hop, limp, hobble”).

Meanings

  1. To fetter by tying the legs; to restrict (a horse) with hobbles.
    • you hobble your old horse and turn him grazing 1865, Charles Dickens, Doctor Marigold:
    • Near-synonyms: shackle, enshackle
  2. To walk lame, or unevenly.
    • Pepa runs all over Madrid in high heels and tube skirts that make her hobble and give the impression of restraining a naturally energetic woman. 1988 December 25, Michael Bronski, “Passion Statement”, in Gay Community News, volume 16, number 24, page 11:
    • The friar was hobbling the same way too. 1681, John Dryden, The Spanish Fryar: Or, the Double Discovery. […], London: […] Richard Tonson and Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page number):
  3. (figuratively) To move or proceed roughly or irregularly.
    • The hobbling versification, the mean diction. 1815, William Wordsworth, The White Doe of Rylstone:
  4. To disable; to impede.
    • Near-synonyms: nobble, hamper, hinder, embarrass
  5. (UK, obsolete, slang, transitive) To commit (a person) for trial.
    • […] hobbled straightaway!" "Hobbled, Gibbon?" inquired Lady Bligh. "Taken up and committed for trial, my lady." 1978, Gail Clark, Dulcie Bligh, page 99:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
hobbling Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
hobbles Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
hobbled Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
hobbled Tense=Past lexicographic

Deriveds

hobblerope · hobble chain · hobble-rope · hobble-bush · chain hobble · hobblesome · hobblebush · hobble-skirted · unhobble · hobble knot · hobble skirt · hobble-chain · hobblingly · hobbly · hobble rope

Synonyms

hinder · hamper · nobble · shackle · enshackle · embarrass · hirple

Translations (50)

ckb ئەشکێڵکِردِن (To restrict a horse with hobbles) · pl pętać (To restrict a horse with hobbles) · ba тышау (To restrict a horse with hobbles) · fr boiter (To walk unevenly) · pl pokuśtykać (To walk unevenly) · kk өрелеу (To restrict a horse with hobbles) · zza lengen (To walk unevenly) · bg куцам (To walk unevenly) · da humpe (To walk unevenly) · ru трено́жить (To restrict a horse with hobbles) · uk кульгати (To walk unevenly) · tr kösteklemek (To restrict a horse with hobbles) · tr topallamak (To walk unevenly) · qu hank'ay (To walk unevenly) · ba аҡһау (To walk unevenly) · nb humpe (To restrict a horse with hobbles) · nb humpe (To walk unevenly) · tr aksamak (To walk unevenly) · es manear (To restrict a horse with hobbles) · pl przykuśtykać (To walk unevenly) · nb halte (To restrict a horse with hobbles) · pl kuśtykać (To walk unevenly) · da halte (To walk unevenly) · uk триножити (To restrict a horse with hobbles) · cs pajdat (To walk unevenly) · mi whakatiki (To restrict a horse with hobbles) · fi nilkuttaa (To walk unevenly) · mk кри́ви (To walk unevenly) · mi herehere ngā waewae (To restrict a horse with hobbles) · uk шкандиба́ти (To walk unevenly) · bg спъвам (To restrict a horse with hobbles) · cs kulhat (To walk unevenly) · ota كوستكلمك (To restrict a horse with hobbles) · ba сатанлау (To walk unevenly) · ar شَكَلَ (To restrict a horse with hobbles) · uk спутувати (To restrict a horse with hobbles) · mi totitoti (To walk unevenly) · uk шкутильгати (To walk unevenly) · fi ontua (To walk unevenly) · pl kuleć (To walk unevenly) · mi kokekoke (To walk unevenly) · ba сатандау (To walk unevenly) · cs belhat se (To walk unevenly) · mk ку́ца (To walk unevenly) · mk со́пне (To restrict a horse with hobbles) · nb halte (To walk unevenly) · ru ковыля́ть (To walk unevenly) · fi kammitsoida (To restrict a horse with hobbles) · pl spętać (To restrict a horse with hobbles) · ru хрома́ть (To walk unevenly)