Hobby

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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



From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  hobby
       n 1: an auxiliary activity [syn: {avocation}, {by-line}, {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: {hobbyhorse}, {rocking horse}]
       3: small Old World falcon formerly trained and flown at small
          birds [syn: {Falco subbuteo}]