What does "hobby" mean?
Hobby: A strong, active horse, of a middle size, said to have been originally from Ireland; an ambling nag. Johnson.
Additional senses
- 2.A stick, often with the head or figure of a horse, on which boys make believe to ride. [ Usually under the form hobbyhorse.]
- 3.A subject or plan upon which one is constantly setting off; a favorite and ever-recurring theme of discourse, thought, or effort; that which occupies one's attention unduly, or to the weariness of others; a ruling passion. [Usually under the form hobby.] Not one of them has any hobbyhorse, to use the phrase of Sterne. Macaulay.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00