What does "hob" mean?
A kind of cutting tool, used to cut the teeth of a gear.
Hob
/hɑb/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A kind of cutting tool, used to cut the teeth of a gear.
- Grammar: hob is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: goblin, elf, ariel, banshee.
- Useful contrasts: human, leave uncut, not cook.
- Usage evidence: I burnt my fingers on the hob this morning.
How to use "hob"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "hob" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "hob" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "hob" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "hob" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "hob" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "goblin" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "hob", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A kind of cutting tool, used to cut the teeth of a gear.
- 2 A fairy; a sprite; an elf; a bogey. obsolete
"From elves, hobs, and fairies, […] Defend us, good Heaven!"
- 3 a shelf beside an open fire where something can be kept warm wordnet
- 4 The flat projection or iron shelf at the side of a fire grate, where things are put to be kept warm. historical
"They went into a dingy room lined with books and littered with papers, where there was a blazing fire. A kettle steamed upon the hob, and in the midst of the wreck of papers a table shone, with plenty of wine upon it, and brandy, and rum, and sugar, and lemons."
- 5 A countryman; a rustic or yokel. obsolete
"More fitter for the Country Hobs."
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 a hard steel edge tool used to cut gears wordnet
- 7 The top cooking surface on a cooker; a cooktop. It typically comprises several cooking elements (often four), also known as 'rings'. Commonwealth, Ireland, UK
"And the first sound in the house was the bang, bang of the poker against the raker, as Morel smashed the remainder of the coal to make the kettle, which was filled and left on the hob, finally boil."
- 8 (folklore) fairies that are somewhat mischievous wordnet
- 9 A rounded peg used as a target in several games, especially in quoits.
- 10 (folklore) a small grotesque supernatural creature that makes trouble for human beings wordnet
- 11 A male ferret.
- 12 The hub of a wheel.
"August 31 1776, George Washington, letter to the President of Congress the wheels of the carriages sinking up to the hobs rendered it impossible for our whole force to drag them."
Verb
- 1 To create (a gear) by cutting with a hob. transitive
- 2 cut with a hob wordnet
- 3 To engage in the process of cutting gears with a hob. intransitive
Proper Noun
- 1 A nickname for Robin or Robert obsolete
- 2 A nickname for Robin Goodfellow, Puck; (later) the devil archaic
- 3 A surname originating as a patronymic.
Antonyms
Example
"I burnt my fingers on the hob this morning."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "hob"?
Common synonyms include: goblin, elf, ariel, banshee, beam-end, befind.
How do you use "hob" in a sentence?
I burnt my fingers on the hob this morning.
How do you pronounce "hob"?
Pronounced /hɑb/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Related to hub, but the ultimate origin of both words is obscure.
Etymology 2
From Middle English Hob (a diminutive of Robin, an Old French [Term?] diminutive of Robert), through its connection with Robin Goodfellow and (later) the devil. Compare hobgoblin; see robin.
Etymology 3
From a medieval diminutive form of the given name Robin, and separately as a French diminutive of Robert.