hobby 1
— hobbyist , n. — hobbyless , adj.
/hob"ee/ , n. , pl. hobbies .
1. an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation: Her hobbies include stamp-collecting and woodcarving.
2. a child's hobbyhorse.
3. Archaic. a small horse.
4. ride a hobby , to concern oneself excessively with a favorite notion or activity.
Also, ride a hobbyhorse .
[ 1325-75; ME hoby ( n ), prob. for Robin, or Robert (cf. HOB 2 ), used as horse's name, as in DOBBIN ]
hobby 2
/hob"ee/ , n. , pl. hobbies .
a small Old World falcon, Falco subbuteo, formerly flown at such small game as larks.
[ 1400-50; late ME hoby hobé, suffixal var. of MF, OF hobel (cf. F hobereau ), prob. n. deriv. of hobeler to skirmish, harass, perh. hob ( b ) elen to turn, roll; cf. D hobbelen to rock, jolt (cf. HOBBLE) ]