hobbled
Committed for trial; properly said of animals fed by the wayside, with their forelegs fastened together. Hence people who gather burdens about them are said to get into HOBBLES.
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hobbledygee
A pace between a walk and a run, a dog-trot.
hobby
Sir Posthumous's hobby; one nice or whimsical in his clothes.
hobby horse
A man's favourite amusement, or study, is called his hobby horse. It also means a particular kind of small Irish horse: and also a wooden one, such as is given to children.
hobby horsical
A man who is a great keeper or rider of hobby horses; one that is apt to be strongly attached to his systems of amusement.
hobnail
A country clodhopper: from the shoes of country farmers and ploughmen being commonly stuck full of hob-nails, and even often clouted, or tipped with iron. The Devil ran over his face with hobnails in his shoes; said of one pitted With the small pox.
hobson's choice
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Hobson's Choice
This or none. Thomas Hob- son (c. 1544-1631) was a carrier and inn- keeper at Cambridge who erected the hand- some conduit there, and settled "seven lays" of pasture ground towards its maintenance.
hock cart
The last cartload of harvest; probably connected with hockey.
hockey
Drunk with strong stale beer, called old hock. See HICKEY.
hockey cake
The cake given out to the harvesters when the hock cart (q.v.
hocks
Vulgar appellation for the feet. You have left the marks of your dirty hocks on my clean stairs; a frequent complaint from a mop squeezer to a footman.
hocks
The feet and ankles; CURBY HOCKS, round or clumsy feet and ankles. Term originating with horsey men.
hocus
To drug a person for purposes of robbery. The potion generally consists of snuff and beer among rogues of the lowest class, and is by them called "snuffing a bloke;" or sometimes, when the drug is administered to a woman for purposes other than those of robbery, "snuffing a blowen."
hocus pocus
Nonsensical words used by jugglers, previous to their deceptions, as a kind of charm, or incantation. A celebrated writer supposes it to be a ludicrous corruption of the words hoc est corpus, used by the popish priests in consecrating the host. Also Hell Hocus is used to express drunkenness: as, he is quite hocus; he is quite drunk.
hod
Brother Hod; a familiar name for a bricklayer's labourer: from the hod which is used for carrying bricks and mortar.
hoddy doddy, all a-se and no body
A short clumsy person, either male or female.
hodge
An abbreviation of Roger: a general name for a country booby.
hodge
A countryman or provincial clown. Most country districts in England have one or more families in the name of HODGE; indeed, GILES and HODGE appear to be the favourite hobnail nomenclature. HODGE is said to be simply an abbreviation of Roger.
hodge podge
An irregular mixture of numerous things.
hodmandods
Snails in their shells.
hoe one's row
to mind one's own business
hog
A shilling. To drive one's hogs; to snore: the noise made by some persons in snoring, being not much unlike the notes of that animal. He has brought his hogs to a fine market; a saying of any one who has been remarkably successful in his affairs, and is spoken ironically to signify the contrary. A hog in armour; an awkward or mean looking man or woman, finely dressed, is said to look like a hog in armour.
hog
A shilling.—Old Cant.
hog and hominy
Pork and maize, considered inferior food.
hog grubber
A mean stingy fellow.
hog heaven
A place or situation of great delight or pleasure
hog in armour
A person of awkward man- ners dressed so fine that he cannot move easily; perhaps a corruption of ''Hodge in armour." See HODGE.
hoga
Do. "That wont HOGA," i.e., that wont do, is one of the very commonest of the Anglo-Indian slang phrases.
hoggish
Rude, unmannerly, filthy.
hogmagundy
The process by which the population is increased.
hogmany night
New Year’s Eve, when presents are solicited by the young folk.—Scotch.
hogo
Corruption of haut goust, high taste, or flavour; commonly said of flesh somewhat tainted. It has a confounded hogo; it stinks confoundedly.
hogo
A tremendous stench. From haut goût. Now often pronounced FOGO.
hoist
To go upon the hoist; to get into windows accidentally left open: this is done by the assistance of a confederate, called the hoist, who leans his head against the wall, making his back a kind of step or ascent.
hoist by one's own petard
Damaged or destroyed by one's own plan or action
hoister
A thief.
hoity-toity
A hoity-toity wench; a giddy, thoughtless, romping girl.
holborn hill
To ride backwards up Holborn hill; to go to the gallows: the way to Tyburn, the place of execution for criminals condemned in London, was up that hill. Criminals going to suffer, always ride backwards, as some conceive to increase the ignominy, but more probably to prevent them being shocked with a distant view of the gallows; as, in amputations, surgeons conceal the instruments with which they are going to operate.
hold a grudge
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
hold a light
to guide or assist someone
hold back
to restrain or control something
hold by the button
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
hold cheap
to consider something of little value
hold down
to keep something under control
hold fast
To firmly maintain a position or attitude
hold firm
Remain strong and unwavering in a decision or position
hold hard
to wait or stop for a moment
hold it together
To remain calm and composed in a difficult situation
hold off
to delay or postpone something
hold on
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
hold one's alcohol
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
hold one's breath
Wait anxiously or expectantly for something to happen
hold one's drink
to be able to drink a lot without showing signs of intoxication
hold one's fire
to wait or refrain from acting or reacting
hold one's head high
Feel proud and confident
hold one's jaw
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
hold one's liquor
to drink alcohol without showing its effects
hold one's mouth right
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
hold one's nerve
To remain calm and confident in a difficult situation
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