hobnob

plural hobnobs

1. obsoleteA toast made while touching glasses together.

   A prologue of cherry bounce,—brandy,—preceded the entertainment, which was enlivened by hob-nobs and joyous toasts.

   1870 May, “Irish Life”, in The Saint Pauls Magazine, volume VI, London: Strahan & Co., publishers, 56, Ludgate Hill, →OCLC, page 203

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   With a hob-nob, and a merry go-round, / We'll pull in ere reason fail; / For the stoutest man in the kingdom found, / Must knock under to humming ale.

   1823, Jon Bee [pseudonym; John Badcock], “Hob-nob”, in Slang. A Dictionary of the Turf, the Ring, the Chase, the Pit, of Bon-ton, and the Varieties of Life, Forming the Completest and Most Authentic Lexicon Balatronicum hitherto Offered to the Notice of the Sporting World, …, London: Printed for T. Hughes, 35, Ludgate-Street, →OCLC, page 97

2. A drinking together.
3. An informal chat.

   The three friends had a hobnob outside the bar.

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   The American people are largely under the influence of animal magnetism. Whether they are drawn to the levée of a Tom Thumb or to a hobnob with the Russians, the safety-valves of their joyous feelings are sure to be opened when the Stars and Stripes flaunt over their churches, public buildings, and private dwellings.

   1865, [James Dawson Burn], “The Cities of America—New York”, in Three Years among the Working-classes in the United States during the War, London: Smith, Elder and Co., 65, Cornhill, →OCLC, page 117

   [T]he musical and dramatic critiques in our daily papers are dishonest, shameful, utterly unworthy, and a scandal to journalism and Ireland! Praise is lavishly dispensed because the system pays, […] 'A full house' on Saturday will procure a longer advertisement on Monday morning, another 'free pass' all round, and a hobnob perhaps with Signor, Senora, Herr Bugle, Madame, or Madamoiselle.

   1873 February 1, “Waifs [from the Irish Builder]”, in The Musical World, volume 51, number 5, London: Published by Duncan Davison & Co., 244, Regent Street, →OCLC, page 69, column 2

present singular third person hobnobs · participle present hobnobbing · participle past hobnobbed · past hobnobbed · alternative archaic hob-and-nob · alternative hob-nob

1. intransitiveTo drink together.

   Many a glass of wine have we all of us drank, I have very little doubt, hob-and-nobbing with the hospitable giver, and wondering how the deuce he paid for it.

   [1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, “How to Live Well on Nothing a-Year”, in Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC, page 322

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   When the dinner was a little forward, and time for wine came, the Emperor fills his own cup—fills the Empress's—fills St. Martin [of Tours]'s,—affectionately hobnobs with St. Martin. […] St. Martin looks round, first, deliberately;—becomes aware of a tatterdemalion and thirsty-looking soul of a beggar at his chair side, who has managed to get his cup filled somehow, also—by a charitable lacquey. St. Martin turns his back on the Empress, and hobnobs with him!

   1884, John Ruskin, “By the Rivers of Waters”, in “Our Fathers Have Told Us.”: Sketches of the History of Christendom for Boys and Girls who have been Held at Its Fonts, part I (The Bible of Amiens), Orpington, Kent: George Allen, →OCLC, pages 30–31

2. derogatoryintransitiveoftenTo associate with in a friendly manner, often with those of a higher class or status; to fraternize.

   His favorite spot in the club was the bar, where he could hobnob with the big-wigs.

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   The ambitious young student hobnobbed with the faculty at the prestigious college he hoped to attend.

   Here, over fiery "monaghahela," Jean Batiste, the sallow half-breed voyageur from the north—and who, deserting the service of the "North West" (the Hudson's Bay Company), has come down the Mississippi, from the "Falls," to try the sweets and the liberty of "free" trapping—hobnobs with a stalwart leather-clad "boy," just returned from trapping on the waters of Grand River, on the western side the mountains, who interlards his mountain jargon with Spanish words picked up in Taos and California.

   1849, George Frederick Ruxton, chapter III, in Life in the Far West (Plains and Rockies; 175), Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, page 71

   Well, you know all about how we dine, and assume, as you may, that we never ate more heartily, hob[-]nobbed more cordially, or interchanged with more frankness and sincerity all the affectionate social amenities which flow from a community of feeling amongst men who are bound together by the great bond of intellectual citizenship, members of the great "mysteries" of knowledge.

   1853 October, Jonathan Freke Slingsby [pseudonym; John Francis Waller], “A Night with the Mystics”, in The Dublin University Magazine, a Literary and Political Journal, volume XLII, number CCL, Dublin: James McGlashan, 50 Upper Sackville-Street; London: W[illia]m S[omerville] Orr and Company, →OCLC, page 495

   A man who never misused his time here; a Fellow of his Colleges, M.A., Lecturer, Don; […] my name, alas is not upon the board—my poverty, indeed, not will, prevented it, and so beneath his wing I dine at the "high table" with the reverend deans, and hobnob with professors.

   1855, “Back at Trinity”, in Charles Dickens, editor, Household Words. A Weekly Journal, volume XI, number 22 (275 overall), New York, N.Y.: J. A. Dix, publisher, office, No. 10, Park Place, →OCLC, page 521, column 1

   But it must be in solitude. I do not need or desire to hobnob artificially with other old men in order to revisit them in their salad days, and to renew my own.

   1952 May, George Santayana, “I Like to Be a Stranger”, in The Atlantic

3. intransitiveobsoleterareTo have or have not; to give or take.

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   He is knight dubb'd with vnhatche'd Rapier, and on carpet conſideration, but he is a diuell in priuate brall, soules and bodies hath he diuorc'd three, and his incenſement at this moment is ſo implacable, that ſatisfaction can be none, but by pangs of death and ſepulcher: Hob, nob, is his word: giu't or take't.

   c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv], page 269

4. intransitiveobsoleteTo toast one another by touching glasses.First known use early 19th c.

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   I have frequently heard one gentleman, in company, say to another, will you hob-nob with me? When this challenge was accepted, the glasses were instantly filled, and then they made the glasses touch or kiss each other. This gentle striking of the drinking vessels I always supposed explained the term hob-nob.

   1828, [William Carr], “[A Glossary of the Craven Dialect.] HOB-NOB”, in The Dialect of Craven, in the West-riding of the County of York, with a Copious Glossary, Illustrated by Authorities from Ancient English and Scotting Writers, and Exemplified by Two Familiar Dialogues. By a Native of Craven. In Two Volumes, 2nd much enlarged edition, volume I, London: Printed for W[illia]m Crofts, 59, Carley-Street, Lincoln's Inn; Leeds: Robinson and Hernaman, →OCLC, page 229

1. not comparableOn friendly terms; in friendly association.

1. not comparableobsoleteAt random; at a venture; hit and miss.

   The Citizens in their rage, imagining that euery poſt in the Churche had bin one of yᵉ Souldyers, ſhot habbe or nabbe at randon^([sic – meaning random]) uppe to the Roode lofte, and to the Chancell, leauing ſome of theyr arrowes ſticking in the Images.

   [1577, Raphaell Holinshed; Richarde Stanyhurst [i.e., Richard Stanihurst], “[The Historie of Irelande […].] The Thirde Booke of the Historie of Ireland, Comprising the Raigne of Henry the Eyght: ….”, in The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande […], volume I, London: […] [Henry Bynneman] for Iohn Hunne, →OCLC, pages 77–78