hobble
pronunciation
How to pronounce hobble in British English:
UK [ˈhɒbl]
How to pronounce hobble in American English:
US [ˈhɑbl]
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- Noun:
- a shackle for the ankles or feet
- the uneven manner of walking that results from an injured leg
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- Verb:
- walk impeded by some physical limitation or injury
- hamper the action or progress of
- strap the foreleg and hind leg together on each side (of a horse) in order to keep the like-sided legs moving in unison
Word Origin
- hobble (v.)
- c. 1300, hoblen "to rock back and forth, toss up and down," probably related to its Dutch cognate hobbelen (which, however, is not recorded before late 15c.). Meaning "to walk lamely" is from c. 1400. Transitive sense of "tie the legs (of an animal)" first recorded 1831, probably an alteration of 16c. hopple, cognate with Flemish hoppelen "to rock, jump," which also is related to Dutch hobbelen. Sense of "hamper, hinder" is c. 1870. Related: Hobbled; hobbling. The noun is 1727, from the verb.
Example
- 1. But that could hobble its own sales efforts , he said .
- 2. China 's achilles heel will not be fatal . But it will hobble the hero .
- 3. Many lifters hobble around on the platform before steadying up to get the judges approval .
- 4. And use technology to avoid the inefficiencies that hobble the rich world 's public sector .
- 5. The buzzer rings early on the second evening and I hobble downstairs to answer the door .