hob

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈhäb How to pronounce hob (audio)
Synonyms of hobnext
1
dialectal, England : hobgoblin, elf
2
: mischief, trouble
—used with play and raise
always raising hob

hob

2 of 3

noun (2)

1
: a projection at the back or side of a fireplace on which something may be kept warm
2
: a cutting tool used for cutting the teeth of worm wheels or gears
3
British : cooktop

hob

3 of 3

verb

hobbed; hobbing

transitive verb

1
: to cut with a hob
2
: to furnish with hobnails

Synonyms of hob

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Noun (1)

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Examples of hob in a Sentence

Noun (1) our indoor Frisbee game—my dog's and mine—played hob with a couple of lamps and a vase
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Even burners on the gas hob appeared to be switched on. — Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025 Just a husband, a wife, and a kitchen so small it was forced to run on a four-ring hob. — Lela London, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
Verb
Elite-speak is the lingua franca of too many Democrats, who hob knob with Hollywood’s glitterati, worship at the shrine of academia and play up to activists in a bid for young voters. — Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 24 Aug. 2025 While his wife is at work and their seven-year-old son is at school, Davenport balances hob responsibilities with caring for and entertaining their daughter — meaning lots of breaks for cartoons, coloring books and potty training. — Danielle Wiener-Bronner, CNN, 14 Jan. 2022 See All Example Sentences for hob

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English hobbe, from Hobbe, nickname for Robert

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1511, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1799, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hob was in the 15th century

Rhymes for hob

See All Rhymes for hob

Browse Nearby Words

hoaxer
hob
hob and nob
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hob.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hob. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

hob

noun
ˈhäb
: trouble entry 2 sense 1b, mischief
raise hob

More from Merriam-Webster on hob

Nglish: Translation of hob for Spanish Speakers

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