hobby


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hob·by 1

 (hŏb′ē)
n. pl. hob·bies
An activity or interest pursued outside one's regular occupation and engaged in primarily for pleasure.

[Middle English hobi, hobyn, small horse, hobby horse, perhaps from Hobin, Hobby, nickname for Robert.]

hob′by·ist n.

hob·by 2

 (hŏb′ē)
n. pl. hob·bies
Any of several small falcons of the genus Falco, formerly used for catching small birds or game.

[Middle English hobi, from Old French hobe, hobel.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

hobby

(ˈhɒbɪ)
n, pl -bies
1. (Other Non-sporting Hobbies) an activity pursued in spare time for pleasure or relaxation
2. (Animals) archaic or dialect a small horse or pony
3. short for hobbyhorse1
4. (Automotive Engineering) an early form of bicycle, without pedals
[C14 hobyn, probably variant of proper name Robin; compare dobbin]
ˈhobbyist n

hobby

(ˈhɒbɪ)
n, pl -bies
(Animals) any of several small Old World falcons, esp the European Falco subbuteo, formerly used in falconry
[C15: from Old French hobet, from hobe falcon; probably related to Middle Dutch hobbelen to roll, turn]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

hob•by1

(ˈhɒb i)

n., pl. -bies.
1. an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation.
2. a child's hobbyhorse.
3. Archaic. a small horse.
[1325–75; Middle English hoby(n), probably for Robin or Robert (compare hob2), used as horse's name, as in dobbin]
hob′by•ist, n.

hob•by2

(ˈhɒb i)

n., pl. -bies.
any of various small, very swift falcons, esp. Falco subbuteo, of Eurasia.
[1400–50; late Middle English hoby < Middle French hobé, suffixal variant of Middle French, Old French hobel]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.hobby - an auxiliary activityhobby - an auxiliary activity    
pastime, pursuit, interest - a diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts (usually pleasantly); "sailing is her favorite pastime"; "his main pastime is gambling"; "he counts reading among his interests"; "they criticized the boy for his limited pursuits"
spelaeology, speleology - the pastime of exploring caves
2.hobby - a child's plaything consisting of an imitation horse mounted on rockershobby - a child's plaything consisting of an imitation horse mounted on rockers; the child straddles it and pretends to ride
plaything, toy - an artifact designed to be played with
rocker - a curved support that permits the supported object to rock to and fro
3.hobby - small Old World falcon formerly trained and flown at small birdshobby - small Old World falcon formerly trained and flown at small birds
falcon - diurnal birds of prey having long pointed powerful wings adapted for swift flight
Falco, genus Falco - a genus of Falconidae
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

hobby

noun pastime, relaxation, leisure pursuit, sideline, diversion, avocation, favourite occupation, (leisure) activity My hobbies are letter-writing, football, music, photography, and tennis.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
هِوَايَةٌهِوايَه
hobbykoníček
hobby
hobioŝatokupo
harrastusnuolihaukka
hobi
kabasólyom
áhugamál; tómstundagaman
趣味
취미
arkliukashobismedinis arkliukasmėgstama temapamėgta tema
hobijs, vaļasprieks
koníček
konjiček
hobby
งานอดิเรก
sở thích

hobby

[ˈhɒbɪ] N (= leisure activity) → hobby m, pasatiempo m favorito
it's just a hobbyes sólo un pasatiempo
he began to paint as a hobbyempezó a pintar como hobby
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

hobby

[ˈhɒbi] nhobby m
What are your hobbies? → Quels sont tes hobbys?
Her hobby is paragliding → Son hobby c'est le parapente.
to do sth as a hobby → faire qch par hobbyhobby-horse [ˈhɒbihɔːrs] n
(= toy) (on broom handle)tête f de cheval (sur un manche) (= rocking horse) → cheval m à bascule
(fig) (= pet subject) → dada mhobnail boot [ˌhɒbneɪlˈbuːt] hobnailed boot [ˌhɒbneɪldˈbuːt] nchaussure f à semelle cloutée
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

hobby

nHobby nt, → Steckenpferd nt (dated)
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

hobby

[ˈhɒbɪ] nhobby m inv, passatempo (preferito)
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

hobby

(ˈhobi) plural ˈhobbies noun
something a person enjoys doing (usually frequently) in his/her spare time and not for pay. Stamp-collecting is a popular hobby.
hobby-horse (also hobbyhorse) noun
1. a stick with a wooden horse's head or a rocking horse as a child's toy.
2. one's favourite topic, idea or project.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

hobby

هِوَايَةٌ hobby hobby Hobby χόμπι pasatiempo harrastus passe-temps hobi passatempo 趣味 취미 hobby hobby hobby hobby хобби hobby งานอดิเรก hobi sở thích 业余爱好
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

hobby

n (pl -bies) pasatiempo
English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
References in classic literature ?
I know that's a hobby of yours; well, the fact is, I like to see my horses hold their heads up."
Deane, as he dispensed the pigeonpie, "he must find farming a heavy item,--an expensive hobby. I never had a hobby myself, never would give in to that.
Darcy fluttered off, only, however, to come hurrying back with little, short, [61] scudding steps, to implore them all to come to tea with her as soon as possible in the garden that was her special hobby, and in her last new summer-house.
"I ran it more by way of a hobby than for any other reason, and my children persuaded me to sell it.
I believe it will cost over a hundred thousand; that's his hobby just now.
"I beg your pardon," said the colonel; "I see your hobby is folk-lore."
"Because that is my special hobby. The differences are obvious.
That's my profession; also my hobby. Happy is the man who can make a living by his hobby!
And as each and all of them were warmed without by the sun, so each had a private little sun for her soul to bask in; some dream, some affection, some hobby, at least some remote and distant hope which, though perhaps starving to nothing, still lived on, as hopes will.
Well, go on," he continued, returning to his hobby; "tell me how the Germans have taught you to fight Bonaparte by this new science you call 'strategy.'"
Politeness is his great hobby, and he claims that if a child is allowed to do an impolite thing one cannot expect the grown person to do anything better."
At the time when Cornelius van Baerle began to devote himself to tulip-growing, expending on this hobby his yearly revenue and the guilders of his father, there was at Dort, living next door to him, a citizen of the name of Isaac Boxtel who from the age when he was able to think for himself had indulged the same fancy, and who was in ecstasies at the mere mention of the word "tulban," which