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

Noun (1)

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
It is fitted with a chunky fridge freezer, a dishwasher, a hob, a grill, an oven, a Nespresso coffee machine, and a welcome basket filled with fresh crusty bread, eggs, and smoked cheeses to graze on, as well as a bottle of champagne. — Lewis Nunn, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024

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

hoax
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 26 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

'Blue Moon,' 'Wolf Moon,' and Other Moons to Look for Throughout the Year

10 Scrabble Words Without Any Vowels
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All