hobble
to walk lamely; limp.
to proceed irregularly and haltingly: His verses hobble with their faulty meters.
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.
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.
Origin of hobble
1Other words for hobble
Opposites for hobble
Other words from hobble
- hobbler, noun
- un·hob·bled, adjective
- un·hob·bling, adjective
Words Nearby hobble
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use hobble in a sentence
Reduced global availability could send prices for these nutrients higher and financially hobble farm belts across a slew of countries.
How Sanctions on Russia Will Hurt—and Help—the World's Economies | Simon Constable | March 7, 2022 | TimeThis, more than any one scandal, is likely to hobble the party for the next few election cycles.
Paging Rose Mary Woods: Obama’s Unbelievable Missing IRS Emails | James Poulos | June 18, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTA few days before, she had managed to stand and hobble around the ward.
Surviving Syria’s Incendiary Bomb Attacks | Paul Adrian Raymond | December 11, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTHardly able to hobble into the room on his bruised and engorged feet, he sported black eyes.
Despite Pledge, Syrian Rebels Continue to Torture | Jamie Dettmer | August 15, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTJust the distraction that this kind of case creates can hobble even the most successful, well-run company.
When the flames began to bite on one side he could hobble around the post to the opposite side.
A Virginia Scout | Hugh PendexterA little longer let me live, I pray—A little longer hobble round thy door.
Stories about Animals: with Pictures to Match | Francis C. WoodworthYou get us into a precious hobble through sheer wanton foolery, and then you expect me to like it.
Jack Harkaway's Boy Tinker Among The Turks | Bracebridge HemyngYou know about as much of a motor boat as a pig knows of the hobble skirt.
Boy Scouts in the Philippines | G. Harvey RalphsonOur people when they are in a hobble always like to employ him, though he is somewhat dear.
The Romany Rye | George Borrow
British Dictionary definitions for hobble
/ (ˈhɒbəl) /
(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)
a strap, rope, etc, used to hobble a horse
a limping gait
British dialect a difficult or embarrassing situation
a castrated ferret
Origin of hobble
1- Also (for senses 2, 5): hopple
Derived forms of hobble
- hobbler, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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