Synonyms Examples Word Origin
See more synonyms for hobble on Thesaurus.com verb (used without object), hob·bled, hob·bling. to walk lamely; limp. to proceed irregularly and haltingly: His verses hobble with their faulty meters. Show More
verb (used with object), hob·bled, hob·bling. to cause to limp: His tight shoes hobbled him. to fasten together the legs of (a horse, mule, etc.) by short lengths of rope to prevent free motion. to impede; hamper the progress of. Show More
an act of hobbling; an uneven, halting gait; a limp. a rope, strap, etc., used to hobble an animal. hobbles, a leg harness for controlling the gait of a pacer. Archaic an awkward or difficult situation. Show More
Origin of hobble 1300–50; Middle English hobelen, apparently akin to hob protuberance, uneven ground, and to Dutch hobbelen, German hoppeln to jolt
Related forms hob·bler , noun un·hob·bled , adjective un·hob·bling , adjective Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words for hobbled falter ,
stagger ,
shuffle ,
stumble ,
halt ,
hinder ,
hamstring ,
hamper ,
dodder ,
totter ,
clump ,
scuff ,
hitch ,
hog-tie ,
cramp ,
clog ,
fetter ,
leash ,
trammel ,
shackle Examples from the Web for hobbled Contemporary Examples of hobbled And it was the most that could squeak through a filibuster- hobbled Senate.
The best laid plans: Instead it was Mitt himself who came up lame, hobbled and lacerated by his own tripping tongue.
Mitt Romney is a two-time loser this week, hobbled by Democratic attacks and friendly fire from his own side.
Netanyahu can no longer claim to be hobbled on the peace front by coalition politics and resistance from his minority parties.
Lawmakers “are leaving town just as one of the most important agencies in Washington is hobbled ,” Goldfarb says.
Historical Examples of hobbled Away he hobbled , and arrived at the house of the head-master.
With which laconic remark Newman turned round and hobbled away.
Her fatigue became so great that she staggered and hobbled about on her numbed legs.
At last they had got to the end, and they hobbled away, saved—free!
He leaned heavily upon his cane as he hobbled back to the kitchen.
British Dictionary definitions for hobbled (intr) to walk with a lame awkward movement (tr) to fetter the legs of (a horse) in order to restrict movement to progress unevenly or with difficulty (tr) to hamper or restrict (the actions or scope of a person, organization, etc) Show More
a strap, rope, etc, used to hobble a horse a limping gait British dialect a difficult or embarrassing situation a castrated ferret Show More
Also (for senses 2, 5): hopple
Derived Forms hobbler , noun Word Origin for hobble C14: probably from Low German; compare Flemish hoppelen, Middle Dutch hobbelen to stammer
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for hobbled v. c.1300, hoblen "to rock back and forth, toss up and down," probably related to its Dutch cognate hobbelen (which, however, is not recorded before late 15c.).
Meaning "to walk lamely" is from c.1400. Transitive sense of "tie the legs (of an animal)" first recorded 1831, probably an alteration of 16c. hopple , cognate with Flemish hoppelen "to rock, jump," which also is related to Dutch hobbelen . Sense of "hamper, hinder" is c.1870. Related: Hobbled ; hobbling . The noun is 1727, from the verb.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
