noun · verb · 14 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈhɒbəl/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɒbəl
CMU ARPABET:HH AA1 B AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
One of the short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses, allowing them to wander short distances but preventing them from running off.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: in-plural
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
An unsteady, off-balance step.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A difficult situation; a scrape.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, informal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
An odd job; a piece of casual work.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Newfoundland, UK, dialectal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To fetter by tying the legs; to restrict (a horse) with hobbles.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Near-synonyms: shackle, enshackle
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: shackle, enshackle
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
To walk lame, or unevenly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: hirple
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
To move or proceed roughly or irregularly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
verb
Meaning 8
To disable; to impede.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Near-synonyms: nobble, hamper, hinder, embarrass
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: nobble, hamper, hinder, embarrass
Antonyms: none provided
9
verb
Meaning 9
To commit (a person) for trial.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, obsolete, slang, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
noun
Meaning 10
the uneven manner of walking that results from an injured leg
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: hitch, limp
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: gait
11
noun
Meaning 11
a shackle for the ankles or feet
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: fetter
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: shackle, bond, hamper, trammel
12
verb
Meaning 12
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
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
hobble race horses
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: hopple
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: strap
13
verb
Meaning 13
walk impeded by some physical limitation or injury
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The old woman hobbles down to the store every day
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: limp, gimp, hitch
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: walk
14
verb
Meaning 14
hamper the action or progress of
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The chairman was hobbled by the all-powerful dean
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: impede, hinder
History
Etymology
From Middle English hobblen, hobelen, akin to Middle Dutch hoblen, hobbelen (Modern Dutch hobbelen).
Across languages
Translations
145 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Northern Altai:
тужак
(tužak)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Southern Altai:
тужак
(tužak)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Southern Altai:
тужу
(tužu)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Arabic:
شِكَال
(šikāl)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Arabic:
عِقَال
(ʕiqāl)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Arabic:
شكال
(škāl)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Armenian:
ոտնակապ
(otnakap)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Armenian:
ոտկապ
(otkap)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Armenian:
չիդար
(čʻidar)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Armenian:
թշու
(tʻšu)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Armenian:
քեստաղ
(kʻestaġ)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Old Armenian:
ճախանոց
(čaxanocʻ)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Avar:
читӏир
(čitʼir)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Azerbaijani:
çidar
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Azerbaijani:
cidar
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Azerbaijani:
buxov
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Azerbaijani:
tuşağ
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Bashkir:
тышау
(tışaw)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Basque:
peya
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Bulgarian:
букаи́
(bukaí)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Buryat:
тушаа
(tušaa)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Crimean Tatar:
tırşav
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Czech:
řemen
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Danish:
fodreb
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Dargwa:
чедир
(čedir)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Finnish:
kammitsa
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
French:
entrave
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
French:
abot
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Galician:
péga
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Galician:
pexa
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Galician:
solta
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Galician:
cadarme
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Georgian:
ფარმანდი
(parmandi)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Georgian:
დუშაყი
(dušaq̇i)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
German:
Fußfessel
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
German:
Spannstrick
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Greek:
πέδικλο
(pédiklo)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Italian:
pastoia
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Italian:
ceppi
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Italian:
lacci
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Kalmyk:
туша
(tuşa)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Kalmyk:
чөдр
(çödr)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Kazakh:
тұсау
(tūsau)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Kyrgyz:
тушоо
(tuşoo)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Kyrgyz:
өрөө
(öröö)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Lak:
чидар
(čidar)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Latin:
pedica
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Macedonian:
со́пка
(sópka)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Māori:
herehere waewae
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Mongolian:
чөдөр
(čödör)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Mongolian:
тушаа
(tušaa)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Norwegian Bokmål:
lenke
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Norwegian Bokmål:
fotlenke
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Persian:
اشکیل
(eškil)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Polish:
pęta
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Russian:
трено́га
(trenóga)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Russian:
пу́ты
(púty)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Serbo-Croatian:
не̏гве
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Serbo-Croatian:
шкло̏це
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Serbo-Croatian:
бука̀гије
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Serbo-Croatian:
nȅgve
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Serbo-Croatian:
šklȍce
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Serbo-Croatian:
bukàgije
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Spanish:
manea
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Spanish:
suelta
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Spanish:
atadura
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Tatar:
тышау
(tışaw)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Tatar:
tışaw
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Turkish:
bukağı
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Turkish:
köstek
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Ottoman Turkish:
بوقاغی
(bukağı)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Ottoman Turkish:
كوستك
(köstek)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Turkmen:
душак
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Ukrainian:
пута
(puta)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Uyghur:
өрə
(örə)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Uzbek:
тушов
(tushov)
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Walloon:
epîtoe
— Short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses
Czech:
belhání
— An unsteady, off-balance step
Czech:
kulhání
— An unsteady, off-balance step
Danish:
humpen
— An unsteady, off-balance step
Finnish:
nilkutus
— An unsteady, off-balance step
Greek:
πεδίκλωμα
(pedíkloma)
— An unsteady, off-balance step
Irish:
habal
— An unsteady, off-balance step
Italian:
traballamento
— An unsteady, off-balance step
Italian:
barcollamento
— An unsteady, off-balance step
Italian:
vacillamento
— An unsteady, off-balance step
Italian:
sbilanciamento
— An unsteady, off-balance step
Macedonian:
ку́цање
(kúcanje)
— An unsteady, off-balance step
Norwegian Bokmål:
humping
— An unsteady, off-balance step
Norwegian Bokmål:
halting
— An unsteady, off-balance step
Polish:
kulenie
— An unsteady, off-balance step
Polish:
kuśtykanie
— An unsteady, off-balance step
Russian:
ковыля́ние
(kovyljánije)
— An unsteady, off-balance step
Turkish:
aksama
— An unsteady, off-balance step
Ukrainian:
кульгання
(kulʹhannja)
— An unsteady, off-balance step
Ukrainian:
шкандибання
(škandybannja)
— An unsteady, off-balance step
Arabic:
شَكَلَ
(šakala)
— To restrict a horse with hobbles
Bashkir:
тышау
(tışaw)
— To restrict a horse with hobbles
Bulgarian:
спъвам
(spǎvam)
— To restrict a horse with hobbles
Finnish:
kammitsoida
— To restrict a horse with hobbles
Kazakh:
өрелеу
(öreleu)
— To restrict a horse with hobbles
Central Kurdish:
ئەشکێڵکِردِن
(eşkêllkirdin)
— To restrict a horse with hobbles
Macedonian:
со́пне
(sópne)
— To restrict a horse with hobbles
Māori:
herehere ngā waewae
— To restrict a horse with hobbles
Māori:
whakatiki
— To restrict a horse with hobbles
Norwegian Bokmål:
halte
— To restrict a horse with hobbles
Norwegian Bokmål:
humpe
— To restrict a horse with hobbles
Polish:
pętać
— To restrict a horse with hobbles
Polish:
spętać
— To restrict a horse with hobbles
Russian:
трено́жить
(trenóžitʹ)
— To restrict a horse with hobbles
Spanish:
manear
— To restrict a horse with hobbles
Turkish:
kösteklemek
— To restrict a horse with hobbles
Ottoman Turkish:
كوستكلمك
(kösteklemek)
— To restrict a horse with hobbles
Ukrainian:
спутувати
(sputuvaty)
— To restrict a horse with hobbles
Ukrainian:
триножити
(trynožyty)
— To restrict a horse with hobbles
Bashkir:
аҡһау
(aqhaw)
— To walk unevenly
Bashkir:
сатанлау
(satanlaw)
— To walk unevenly
Bashkir:
сатандау
(satanlaw)
— To walk unevenly
Bulgarian:
куцам
(kucam)
— To walk unevenly
Czech:
belhat se
— To walk unevenly
Czech:
kulhat
— To walk unevenly
Czech:
pajdat
— To walk unevenly
Danish:
humpe
— To walk unevenly
Danish:
halte
— To walk unevenly
Finnish:
ontua
— To walk unevenly
Finnish:
nilkuttaa
— To walk unevenly
French:
boiter
— To walk unevenly
Macedonian:
ку́ца
(kúca)
— To walk unevenly
Macedonian:
кри́ви
(krívi)
— To walk unevenly
Māori:
totitoti
— To walk unevenly
Māori:
kokekoke
— To walk unevenly
Norwegian Bokmål:
halte
— To walk unevenly
Norwegian Bokmål:
humpe
— To walk unevenly
Polish:
kuśtykać
— To walk unevenly
Polish:
pokuśtykać
— To walk unevenly
Polish:
przykuśtykać
— To walk unevenly
Polish:
kuleć
— To walk unevenly
Quechua:
hank'ay
— To walk unevenly
Russian:
ковыля́ть
(kovyljátʹ)
— To walk unevenly
Russian:
хрома́ть
(xromátʹ)
— To walk unevenly
Turkish:
aksamak
— To walk unevenly
Ukrainian:
кульгати
(kulʹhaty)
— To walk unevenly
Ukrainian:
шкандиба́ти
(škandybáty)
— To walk unevenly
Ukrainian:
шкутильгати
(škutylʹhaty)
— To walk unevenly
