Definify.com

Definition 2024


hobo

hobo

See also: hóbo

English

Noun

hobo (plural hobos or hoboes)

  1. A homeless, usually penniless person, in some way associated with a life along the rails.
  2. A migratory laborer.
  3. (pejorative) A tramp, vagabond; hence bum.
  4. 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

  • Often used attributively, as if an adjective. For example, "hobo stew", "he was leading a hobo life."
  • Hobos historically have loathed being grouped together with bums, whom they view as pure untrustworthy loafers. [1] Hobos, on the other hand, were allegedly pure "migratory workers". Whether this is a case of "no true Scotsman", or was actually the case is unknown.

Synonyms

  • See also Wikisaurus:vagabond

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

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.

Anagrams


Dutch

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɦoːˈboː/

Etymology

From French hautbois.

Noun

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

  1. oboe

Derived terms

  • hoboïst

Japanese

Romanization

hobo

  1. rōmaji reading of ほぼ
  1. Tales of the Iron Road: My Life As King of the Hobos