Where does “hob and nob” come from?
hob and nob (English) comes from English hab nab, from Old English habban, from Proto-West Germanic habbjan, from Proto-Germanic habjaną, from Proto-Indo-European kh₂pyé-, from Proto-Indo-European keh₂p- — to seize, grab; to seize; take up; lift; to take,...
Ancestry of “hob and nob”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | hab nab | to have or have not, in the sense of an... |
| 2 | Old English | habban | to have, to possess; have |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | habbjan | to have; to lift |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | habjaną | to have, to hold; to lift, heave |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | kh₂pyé- | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | keh₂p- | to seize, grab; to seize; take up; lift; to take,... |