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3 definitions found
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Hobby \Hob"by\, noun; pl. {Hobbies}. [OE. hobi; cf. OF. hobe, hob['e], F. hobereau a hobby, a species of falcon. OF. hober to move, stir. Cf. {Hobby} a horse.] (Zo["o]l.) A small, strong-winged European falcon ({Falco subbuteo}), formerly trained for hawking.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Hobby \Hob"by\, Hobbyhorse \Hob"by*horse'\, noun [OE. hobin a nag, OF. hobin hobby; cf. hober to stir, move; prob. of German or Scand. origin; cf. Dan. hoppe a mare, dial. Sw. hoppa; perh. akin to E. hop to jump.]
1. A strong, active horse, of a middle size, said to have been originally from Ireland; an ambling nag. --Johnson.
2. A stick, often with the head or figure of a horse, on which boys make believe to ride. [ Usually under the form {hobbyhorse}.]
3. A subject or plan upon which one is constantly setting off; a favorite and ever-recurring theme of discourse, thought, or effort; that which occupies one's attention unduly, or to the weariness of others; a ruling passion. [Usually under the form {hobby}.]
Not one of them has any hobbyhorse, to use the phrase of Sterne. --Macaulay.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
hobby
noun
1: an auxiliary activity [syn: {avocation}, {by-line}, {sideline}, {spare-time activity}]
2: a child's plaything consisting of an imitation horse mounted on rockers; the child straddles it and pretends to ride [syn: {hobbyhorse}, {rocking horse}]
3: small Old World falcon formerly trained and flown at small birds [syn: {Falco subbuteo}]
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Definitions retrieved from local copies of the freely distributed DICT client/server software and databases. Click here for database copyright information. Audio provided by one of our generous visitors. - KM |