hobby

3 definitions found

hobby - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Hobby \Hob"by\, n.; pl. Hobbies. [OE. hobi; cf. OF. hobe,
     hob['e], F. hobereau a hobby, a species of falcon. OF. hober
     to move, stir. Cf. Hobby a horse.] (Zool.)
     A small, strong-winged European falcon (Falco subbuteo),
     formerly trained for hawking. Hobby

  Hobby \Hob"by\, Hobbyhorse \Hob"by*horse`\, n. [OE. hobin a nag,
     OF. hobin hobby; cf. hober to stir, move; prob. of German or
     Scand. origin; cf. Dan. hoppe a mare, dial. Sw. hoppa; perh.
     akin to E. hop to jump.]
     1. A strong, active horse, of a middle size, said to have
        been originally from Ireland; an ambling nag. --Johnson.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A stick, often with the head or figure of a horse, on
        which boys make believe to ride. [ Usually under the form
        hobbyhorse.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Not one of them has any hobbyhorse, to use the
              phrase of Sterne.                     --Macaulay.
        [1913 Webster]

hobby - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  hobby
      n 1: an auxiliary activity [syn: avocation, by-line,
           hobby, pursuit, sideline, spare-time activity]
      2: a child's plaything consisting of an imitation horse mounted
         on rockers; the child straddles it and pretends to ride [syn:
         hobby, hobbyhorse, rocking horse]
      3: small Old World falcon formerly trained and flown at small
         birds [syn: hobby, Falco subbuteo]