View synonyms for Hobson's choice

Hobson's choice

[ hob-suhnz ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the choice of taking either that which is offered or nothing; the absence of a real alternative.

Hobson's choice

/ ˈhɒbsənz /

noun

the choice of taking what is offered or nothing at all

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Word History and Origins

Origin of Hobson's choice¹

1640–50; after Thomas Hobson (1544–1631), of Cambridge, England, who rented horses and gave his customer only one choice, that of the horse nearest the stable door

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Word History and Origins

Origin of Hobson's choice¹

C16: named after Thomas Hobson (1544–1631), English liveryman who gave his customers no choice but had them take the nearest horse

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Idioms and Phrases

An apparently free choice that actually offers no alternative. For example, My dad said if I wanted the car I could have it tonight or not at all—that's Hobson's choice . This expression alludes to Thomas Hobson of Cambridge, England, who rented horses and allowed each customer to take only the horse nearest the stable door. [Mid-1600s]

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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