Part 5325

<h1>Hob</h1> <Xpage=697>

<hw>Hob</hw>, <tt>n</tt> <ety>[Orig. an abbrev. of <ets>Robin</ets>, <ets>Robert</ets>; <ets>Robin Goodfellow</ets> a celebrated fairy, or domestic spirit. Cf. <er>Hobgoblin</er>, and see <er>Robin</er>. ]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>A fairy; a sprite; an elf.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>From elves, hobs, and fairies, . . . Defend us, good Heaven ! <i>Beau. & FL.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>A countryman; a rustic; a clown.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Nares.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Hobanob, Hobandnob</h1> <Xpage=697>

<hw><hw>Hob"a*nob`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <hw>Hob"and*nob`</hw>,<hw> <tt>v. i.</tt> <def>Same as <er>Hobnob</er>.</def>

<i>Tennyson.</i>

<h1>Hobbism</h1> <Xpage=697>

<hw>Hob"bism</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The philosophical system of Thomas <i>Hobbes</i>, an English materialist (<?/); esp., his political theory that the most perfect form of civil government is an absolute monarchy with despotic control over everything relating to law, morals, and religion.</def>

<h1>Hobbist</h1> <Xpage=697>

<hw>Hob"bist</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One who accepts the doctrines of Thomas Hobbes.</def>

<h1>Hobble</h1> <Xpage=697>

<hw>Hob"ble</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n. i.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Hobbled</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Hobbling</er> <tt>(?)</tt>.]</wordforms> <ety>[OE. <ets>hobelen</ets>, <ets>hoblen</ets>, freq. of <ets>hoppen</ets> to hop; akin to D. <ets>hobbelen</ets>, <ets>hoblen</ets>, <ets>hoppeln</ets>. See <er>Hop</er> to jump, and cf. <er>Hopple</er> ]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To walk lame, bearing chiefly on one leg; to walk with a hitch or hop, or with crutches.</def>

<blockquote>The friar was <b>hobbling</b> the same way too. <i>Dryden.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To move roughly or irregularly; -- said of style in writing.</def>

<i>Prior.</i>

<blockquote>The <b>hobbling</b> versification, the mean diction. <i>Jeffreys.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Hobble</h1> <Xpage=697>

<hw>Hob"ble</hw>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To fetter by tying the legs; to hopple; to clog.</def> " They <i>hobbled</i> their horses."

<i>Dickens</i>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To perplex; to embarrass.</def>

<h1>Hobble</h1> <Xpage=697>

<hw>Hob"ble</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>An unequal gait; a limp; a halt; <as>as, he has a <ex>hobble</ex> in his gait</as>.</def>

<i>Swift.</i>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Same as <er>Hopple</er>.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Difficulty; perplexity; embarrassment.</def>

<i>Waterton.</i>