hobby horse

Definitions (2)

1nounA toy consisting of a stick with a horse's head, which children pretend to ride.

The child galloped around the garden on his hobby horse.

She received a hobby horse for her birthday and couldn't stop playing with it.

In the playroom, there was a wooden hobby horse that had been passed down through generations.

2idiomA topic or activity that someone is particularly passionate about or obsessed with, often to the point of repeatedly bringing it up in conversation.

Politics is his hobby horse; he talks about it at every opportunity.

Her hobby horse is environmental conservation, and she often volunteers for local clean-up events.

Whenever we meet, he always gets on his hobby horse about the importance of healthy eating.

Word Origin

Language

English

Word parts

hobby (a small horse or pony) + horse (a large domesticated animal)

Originally meant

originally referred to a small horse or pony used for riding

Background

The term 'hobby horse' originally described a small horse or pony used for riding. Over time, it evolved to refer to a child's toy and later to a metaphorical sense of a favorite topic or obsession.

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