Hobbyhorse

3 definitions found

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]:

  hobbyhorse
       n 1: a topic to which one constantly reverts; "don't get him
            started on his hobbyhorse"
       2: a child's plaything consisting of an imitation horse mounted
          on rockers; the child straddles it and pretends to ride
          [syn: {hobby}, {rocking horse}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  51 Moby Thesaurus words for "hobbyhorse":
     agate, avocation, ball, baseball bat, bat, battledore, bauble,
     blocks, by-line, checkerboard, chessboard, club, cockhorse,
     cricket bat, cue, doll, doll carriage, gewgaw, gimcrack, golf club,
     hobby, jack-in-the-box, jacks, jackstones, jackstraws, kickshaw,
     knickknack, marble, marionette, mig, paper doll, pastime,
     pick-up sticks, pinwheel, plaything, puppet, racket, rag doll,
     rocking horse, side interest, sideline, spare-time activity, sport,
     steelie, taw, teetotum, top, toy, toy soldier, trinket,
     whim-wham