Home UK English hobbledehoy

Meaning of hobbledehoy in English:

hobbledehoy

Pronunciation /ˈhɒb(ə)ldɪˌhɔɪ/

Translate hobbledehoy into Spanish

noun

informal, dated

  • A clumsy or awkward youth.

    • ‘It listed the views of various members of Congress: not any old hobbledehoys either, but the party leaders, mostly Republican, whose support would be crucial to the political viability of any Pentagon plan.’
    • ‘The true hobbledehoy is much alone, not being greatly given to social intercourse even with other hobbledehoys.’
    • ‘He looked frankly what he was - a hobbledehoy - though he made great efforts to seem grown up.’
    lout, boor, barbarian, Neanderthal, churl, clown, gawk, hulk, bumpkin, yokel

adjective

informal, dated

  • Awkward or clumsy.

    • ‘his hobbledehoy hands’

Origin

Mid 16th century of unknown origin.