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hobson's choice

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Hobson's Choice
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Hobson's choice

  [hob-suhnz]
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–noun
the choice of taking either that which is offered or nothing; the absence of a real alternative.
Origin:
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
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Hobson's Choice
Buy Hobson's Choice DVD. Classic Comedy at TCM Official Site
www.TCM.com/Comedy
Hob·son's choice   (hŏb'sənz)   
n.  An apparently free choice that offers no real alternative.

[After Thomas Hobson (1544?-1630), English keeper of a livery stable, from his requirement that customers take either the horse nearest the stable door or none.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

Hobson''s choice 
Eng. university slang, supposedly from Thomas Hobson (c.1544-1631), Cambridge stable manager who let horses and gave customers a choice of the horse next in line or none at all. Phrase popularized by Milton, c.1660.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Idioms & Phrases

Hobson's choice

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 allthat'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]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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