hobble
(redirected from hobbling)Also found in: Thesaurus, Encyclopedia.
hob·ble
(hŏb′əl)v. hob·bled, hob·bling, hob·bles
v.intr.
To walk or move along haltingly or with difficulty; limp.
v.tr.
1. To put a device around the legs of (a horse, for example) so as to hamper but not prevent movement.
2. To cause to limp.
3. To hamper the action or progress of; impede.
n.
1. A hobbling walk or gait.
2. A device, such as a rope or strap, used to hobble an animal.
[Middle English hobblen, of Low German origin; akin to Middle Dutch hobbelen, to roll.]
hob′bler n.
Synonyms: hobble, fetter, handcuff, hogtie, manacle, shackle
These verbs mean to restrict the activity or free movement of: a graduate hobbled by debt; researchers fettered by outmoded thinking; entrepreneurs handcuffed by rigid regulations; leadership that refused to be hogtied; imagination manacled by fear; an artist shackled by convention.
These verbs mean to restrict the activity or free movement of: a graduate hobbled by debt; researchers fettered by outmoded thinking; entrepreneurs handcuffed by rigid regulations; leadership that refused to be hogtied; imagination manacled by fear; an artist shackled by convention.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
hobble
(ˈhɒbəl)vb
1. (intr) to walk with a lame awkward movement
2. (Horse Training, Riding & Manège) (tr) to fetter the legs of (a horse) in order to restrict movement
3. to progress unevenly or with difficulty
4. (tr) to hamper or restrict (the actions or scope of a person, organization, etc)
n
Also (for senses 2, 5): hopple 5. (Horse Training, Riding & Manège) a strap, rope, etc, used to hobble a horse
6. a limping gait
7. dialect Brit a difficult or embarrassing situation
8. (Animals) a castrated ferret
[C14: probably from Low German; compare Flemish hoppelen, Middle Dutch hobbelen to stammer]
ˈhobbler n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
hob•ble
(ˈhɒb əl)v. -bled, -bling,
n. v.i.
1. to walk lamely; limp.
2. to proceed irregularly and haltingly.
v.t. 3. to cause to limp.
4. to fasten together the legs of (a horse, mule, etc.) by short lengths of rope to prevent free motion.
5. to impede; hamper the progress of.
n. 6. an act of hobbling; an uneven, halting gait; a limp.
7. a rope, strap, etc., used to hobble an animal.
8. Archaic. an awkward or difficult situation.
[1300–50; Middle English hobelen]
hob′bler, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
hobble
Past participle: hobbled
Gerund: hobbling
| Imperative |
|---|
| hobble |
| hobble |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  hobble - a shackle for the ankles or feet |
| 2. |  hobble - the uneven manner of walking that results from an injured leggait - a person's manner of walking | |
| Verb | 1. | hobble - walk impeded by some physical limitation or injury; "The old woman hobbles down to the store every day" walk - use one's feet to advance; advance by steps; "Walk, don't run!"; "We walked instead of driving"; "She walks with a slight limp"; "The patient cannot walk yet"; "Walk over to the cabinet" |
| 2. | hobble - hamper the action or progress of; "The chairman was hobbled by the all-powerful dean" | |
| 3. | hobble - strap the foreleg and hind leg together on each side (of a horse) in order to keep the legs on the same side moving in unison; "hobble race horses" strap - tie with a strap |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
hobble
verb
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
hobble
verbnoun
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
kulhat
humpe
haltra
klibikščiuotišlubuoti
klibot
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
hobble
[ˈhɒbəl] vi (= walk awkwardly) → se déplacer en boitillantHe hobbled over to the window → Il se déplaça en boitillant jusqu'à la fenêtre.
to hobble around → clopiner
Now he must hobble around on crutches for six weeks → Maintenant, il va devoir clopiner sur des béquilles pendant six semaines.
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
hobble
vt
horse → Fußfesseln anlegen (+dat), → die Vorderbeine fesseln (+dat)
(fig) person, company → einschränken, behindern; economy → lahmlegen
n (for horses) → Fußfessel f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
hobble
(ˈhobl) verb to walk with difficulty, usually taking short steps (eg because one is lame or because one's feet are sore). The old lady hobbled along with a stick.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.