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hobo

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: hóbo

English

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Etymology

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Unknown. Possibly a contraction of ho, boy or the dialectal English term hawbuck (lout, clumsy fellow, country bumpkin).

Pronunciation

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enPR: hō'bō

Noun

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hobo (plural hobos or hoboes)

  1. (Canada, US) A wandering homeless person, especially (historical) one illegally travelling by rail or (derogatory) a penniless, unemployed bum.
  2. (Canada, US) Any migratory laborer, whether homeless or not.
  3. A kind of large handbag.
    • 1989, Susan Ludwig, Janice Steinberg, Petite Style, page 46:
      Avoid bulky styles such as duffle sacks, buckets, doctors' satchels, and hobos.

Usage notes

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  • Often used attributively, as if an adjective. For example, "hobo stew", "he was leading a hobo life."
  • Although informal usage considers hobo synonymous with bum, self-proclaimed hobos sometimes distinguish themselves as migrant workers rather than unemployed bums.[1]

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Verb

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hobo (third-person singular simple present hobos, present participle hoboing, simple past and past participle hoboed)

  1. (intransitive, perhaps pejorative) To be a hobo, tramp, bum etc.
    Joe idly hoboed through half the country till he realized hoboing never gets you anywhere in life.

References

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  1. ^ Tales of the Iron Road: My Life As King of the Hobos.

Anagrams

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Afrikaans

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Afrikaans Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia af

Etymology

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From Dutch hobo, from French hautbois.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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hobo (plural hobo's, diminutive hobootjie)

  1. oboe

Dutch

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Dutch Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia nl

Etymology

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Borrowed from French hautbois, from Middle French [Term?].

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ɦoːˈboː/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: ho‧bo
  • Rhymes: -oː

Noun

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hobo m (plural hobo's, diminutive hobootje n)

  1. oboe (woodwind)

Derived terms

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Japanese

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Romanization

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hobo

  1. Rōmaji transcription of ほぼ