hobble
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Trouble of any kind. A man is said to be in a HOBBLE when he has offended the proprieties in any way, "from pitch and toss to manslaughter."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “hobble” mean?
Trouble of any kind. A man is said to be in a HOBBLE when he has offended the proprieties in any way, "from pitch and toss to manslaughter."
Is “hobble” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.