n. The philosophical system of Thomas Hobbes, an English materialist (1588-1679); esp., his political theory that the most perfect form of civil government is an absolute monarchy with despotic control over everything relating to law, morals, and religion. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who accepts the doctrines of Thomas Hobbes. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Hobbled p. pr. & vb. n. Hobbling ] [ OE. hobelen, hoblen, freq. of hoppen to hop; akin to D. hobbelen, hoblen, hoppeln. See Hop to jump, and cf. Hopple ] 1. To walk lame, bearing chiefly on one leg; to walk with a hitch or hop, or with crutches. [ 1913 Webster ]

The friar was hobbling the same way too. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To move roughly or irregularly; -- said of style in writing. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

The hobbling versification, the mean diction. Jeffreys. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To fetter by tying the legs; to hopple; to clog. “ They hobbled their horses.” Dickens [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To perplex; to embarrass. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. An unequal gait; a limp; a halt; as, he has a hobble in his gait. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Same as Hopple. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Difficulty; perplexity; embarrassment. Waterton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A low bush (Viburnum lantanoides) having long, straggling branches and handsome flowers. It is found in the Northern United States. Called also shinhopple. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who hobbles. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. also hobeler, OF. hobelier, LL. hobellarius. See Hobby a horse. ] (Eng. Hist.) One who by his tenure was to maintain a horse for military service; a kind of light horseman in the Middle Ages who was mounted on a hobby. Hallam. Sir J. Davies. [ 1913 Webster ]

. A woman's skirt so scant at the bottom as to restrain freedom of movement after the fashion of a hobble. -- Hob"ble-skirt`ed, a. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

{ } n. [ Written also hobbetyhoy, hobbarddehoy, hobbedehoy, hobdehoy. ] [ Cf. Prob. E. hobbledygee with a limping movement; also F. hobereau, a country squire, E. hobby, and OF. hoi to-day; perh. the orig. sense was, an upstart of to-day. ] A youth between boy and man; an awkward, gawky young fellow . [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

All the men, boys, and hobbledehoys attached to the farm. Dickens. . [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. With a limping step. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Rough; uneven; causing one to hobble; as a hobbly road. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Hobbies [ OE. hobi; cf. OF. hobe, hobé, F. hobereau a hobby, a species of falcon. OF. hober to move, stir. Cf. Hobby a horse. ] (Zool.) A small, strong-winged European falcon (Falco subbuteo), formerly trained for hawking.

{ } n. [ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A stick, often with the head or figure of a horse, on which boys make believe to ride. [ Usually under the form hobbyhorse. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Not one of them has any hobbyhorse, to use the phrase of Sterne. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Pertaining to, or having, a hobby or whim; eccentric; whimsical.[ Colloq. ] Sterne. [ 1913 Webster ]