hobby

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   An activity that one enjoys doing in one's spare time.

   I like to collect stamps from different countries as a hobby.

2. 2
   noun

   Synonym of hobby horse (“a favorite topic”).

   "Well, I think East is right," said Arthur; "I can't see but what it's right to do the best you can, though it mayn't be the best absolutely. Every man isn't born to be a martyr." "Of course, of course," said East; "but he's on one of his pet hobbies. — How often have I told you, Tom, that you must drive a nail where it'll go."

3. 3
   noun

   Any of four species of small falcons in the genus Falco, especially Falco subbuteo.

   He hawked – from nearby Esher, Richard Fox sent a servant with a hobby, which Henry received enthusiastically – and hunted, sending a present of freshly slaughtered deer to Princess Mary.

4. 4
   noun

   an auxiliary activity

5. 5
   noun

   small Old World falcon formerly trained and flown at small birds

6. 6
   noun

   a child's plaything consisting of an imitation horse mounted on rockers

7. 7
   noun

   An extinct breed of horse native to the British Isles, also known as the Irish Hobby.

8. 8
   name

   An English surname transferred from the given name.

Etymology

Shortened from hobby-horse, from Middle English hoby, hobyn, hobin (“small horse, pony”), from Old French hobi, *haubi, haubby, hobin ("a nag, hobby"; > Modern French aubin, Italian ubino), of Germanic origin: from Old French hober, ober (“to stir, move”), from Old Dutch hobben (“to toss, move up and down”); or from North Germanic origin related to Danish hoppe (“a mare”), Old Swedish hoppa (“a young mare”), North Frisian hoppe (“horse”); both ultimately from Proto-Germanic *huppōną (“to hop”), from Proto-Indo-European *kewb- (“to bend; a bend, joint”). More at hop, hobble. The meaning of hobb…