different between hobble vs shamble

English

Etymology

From Middle English hobblen, hobelen, akin to Middle Dutch hoblen, hobbelen (Modern Dutch hobbelen).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?h?b?l/
• Rhymes: -?b?l

Noun

hobble (plural hobbles)

1. (chiefly in the plural) One of the short straps tied between the legs of unfenced horses, allowing them to wander short distances but preventing them from running off.
2. An unsteady, off-balance step.
3. A difficult situation; a scrape.
4. (dialect, Britain and Newfoundland) An odd job; a piece of casual work.

Synonyms

• tether (rope)

Translations

Verb

hobble (third-person singular simple present hobbles, present participle hobbling, simple past and past participle hobbled)

1. To fetter by tying the legs; to restrict (a horse) with hobbles.
   • 1865, Charles Dickens, Doctor Marigold

     you hobble your old horse and turn him grazing

2. To walk lame, or unevenly.

   • The friar was hobbling the same way too.

3. (figuratively) To move roughly or irregularly.
   • 1815, William Wordsworth, The White Doe of Rylstone

     The hobbling versification, the mean diction.

4. To perplex; to embarrass.

Synonyms

• (walk unevenly): hirple

Derived terms

• hobble skirt
• hobbly
• unhobble

Translations

Anagrams

• hobbel

English

Etymology

From Middle English schambyll, shamyll, schamel, from Old English s?eamol, scamol (“bench, stool”), from Proto-Germanic *skamulaz, *skamilaz, from Latin scamellum, a variant of scabellum (“footstool”). Cognate with Dutch schemel (“footstool, bench”), German Schemel (“stool”), Danish skammel (“stool”). Icelandic skemill (“footstool”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??æmbl?/

Verb

shamble (third-person singular simple present shambles, present participle shambling, simple past and past participle shambled)

1. To walk while shuffling or dragging the feet.

   I wasn't too impressed with the fellow, when he shambled in unenthusiastically and an hour late.

Synonyms

• shuffle

Translations

Noun

shamble (plural shambles)

1. (mining) One of a succession of niches or platforms, one above another, to hold ore which is thrown successively from platform to platform, and thus raised to a higher level.

See also

• shambles

Anagrams

• hambles