nobble
Americanverb (used with object)
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to drug or disable (a race horse) to prevent its winning a race.
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to convince (a person) by fraudulent methods; misrepresent or lie to.
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to swindle; defraud.
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to seize (a person); hold for arrest.
verb
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to disable (a racehorse), esp with drugs
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to win over or outwit (a person) by underhand means
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to suborn (a person, esp a juror) by threats, bribery, etc
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to steal; filch
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to get hold of; grab
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to kidnap
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of nobble
First recorded in 1840–50; back formation from nobbler, variant of hobbler ( def. ) (dialectal phrase an 'obbler being taken as a nobbler )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Last month it announced plans to nobble a century-old law protecting wild birds; it was passed a few months before the death of Roosevelt, a keen ornithologist.
From Economist ● May 3, 2018
The pride is especially justified because of the grave problems that once seemed to doom New Orleans to gradual, perpetual decline, and which might have been expected to nobble its recovery.
From Economist ● Aug. 20, 2015
The senior officer denied allegations that the man was held and questioned in a bid to "nobble" him and sabotage attempts by Brendan McConville and John Paul Wootton to overturn their convictions.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2013
Oakeshott warns: "It is as wrong as it is stupid for anyone in Whitehall to be trying to nobble the Vickers commission even before it has done its interim report."
From The Guardian ● Apr. 2, 2011
The woman was dying, the husband had been for the priest, and on the way to what proved a death-bed, Father Fagan improved the shining hour by trying to nobble a straying vote.
From Ireland as It Is And as It Would be Under Home Rule by Robert John Buckley
If this player turns up and is not nobbled by either Manchester United in the FA Cup final or Inter Milan in the Champions League final I am convinced City will achieve the Treble.
From BBC ● May 29, 2023
A couple of hours before, Asher-Smith revealed a hamstring problem had nobbled her chances.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2021
Independence Day: Resurgence nobbled the original’s hero, Will Smith’s Steven Hiller, leaving behind a grieving son who then had to watch Roland Emmerich drop a million tonnes of masonry on his mum.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 21, 2020
But now, on our penultimate morning in Iran, as we waited for our meeting at the media company, we were nobbled by the representative of the Iranian travel agency, the pretty, fretful Ms Akhundi.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 7, 2015
I know you believe I nobbled those last cigarettes of yours.”
From The Kopje Garrison A Story of the Boer War by W. Boucher
I seem to remember Iceland winning after nobbling Zaire's Pelé-like talisman, who played in bare feet.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 6, 2013
By nobbling Flood, South Africa removed England's most experienced player from the match.
From The Guardian ● Nov. 24, 2012
I seem to remember Iceland winning after nobbling Zaire's Pele-like talisman, who played in bare feet.
From The Guardian ● Sep. 8, 2010
The track's under a glass shield to stop you nobbling the horses.
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
He is very musical, and when he and Rex get nobbling over the piano and organ—there they stick!!
From Juliana Horatia Ewing And Her Books by Horatia K. F. Eden
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