hobbledehoy

[ hob-uh l-dee-hoi ]

/ ˈhɒb əl diˌhɔɪ /

noun

an awkward, ungainly youth.

Origin of hobbledehoy

1530–40; variant of hoberdyhoy, alliterative compound, equivalent to hoberd (variant of Roberd Robert) + -y² + -hoy for boy ( b > h for alliteration; see hob²)

Words nearby hobbledehoy

hobbit, hobbits, hobble, hobble skirt, hobblebush, hobbledehoy, hobbs, hobby, hobby farmer, hobbyhorse, hobday

Example sentences from the Web for hobbledehoy

"The Hobbledehoy" was wholly unlike anything which had been seen hitherto in Russian literature.

A Survey of Russian Literature, with Selections |Isabel Florence Hapgood
But I am sure that the tendency nowadays is, somehow or other, to prolong the hobbledehoy days.

The Silent Isle |Arthur Christopher Benson
The bandages and false hair flew across the passage into the bar, making a hobbledehoy jump to avoid them.

The Invisible Man |H. G. Wells
She was still only a hobbledehoy, flabby and loose-jointed, and not quick enough in emergencies.

Grim: The Story of a Pike |Svend Fleuron

Aye, and have ever since she was in pinafores, and I a hobbledehoy in Master Wytheby's school.

The Master of Appleby |Francis Lynde

British Dictionary definitions for hobbledehoy

hobbledehoy

/ (ˌhɒbəldɪˈhɔɪ) /

noun

archaic, or dialect a clumsy or bad-mannered youth

Word Origin for hobbledehoy

C16: from earlier hobbard de hoy, of uncertain origin

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

hobbledehoy

noun

Origin of hobbledehoy

Words nearby hobbledehoy

Example sentences from the Web for hobbledehoy

British Dictionary definitions for hobbledehoy

noun

Word Origin for hobbledehoy

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

hobbledehoy

noun

Origin of hobbledehoy

Words nearby hobbledehoy

Example sentences from the Web for hobbledehoy

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for hobbledehoy

noun

Word Origin for hobbledehoy

British Dictionary definitions for hobbledehoy