Link Centre Dictionary

hobble

UK/ˈhɒbəl/ US/ˈhɑbʌl/ rare archaic informal obsolete slang uk
verb (3) noun (2)

verb

1.

walk impeded by some physical limitation or injury

  • “The old woman hobbles down to the store every day”
Synonyms
2.

hamper the action or progress of

  • “The chairman was hobbled by the all-powerful dean”
3.

strap the foreleg and hind leg together on each side (of a horse) in order to keep the legs on the same side moving in unison

  • “hobble race horses”
Synonyms

noun

1.

a shackle for the ankles or feet

Synonyms
2.

the uneven manner of walking that results from an injured leg

Synonyms

Origin

From Middle English hobblen, hobelen, akin to Middle Dutch hoblen, hobbelen (Modern Dutch hobbelen).

Phrases

  • chain hobble
  • hobble chain
  • hobble knot
  • hobble rope
  • hobble skirt

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.