Where does “play hob with” come from?
play hob with (English) comes from Middle English Hob, from English robin, from Middle English Robin, from Old French Robert, from Frankish berht, from Proto-Germanic berhtaz, from Proto-Germanic hrabnaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱorh₂- — army.
play hob with (English): mess with, cause trouble for
Definitions
- mess with, cause trouble for
Ancestry of “play hob with”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | Hob | — |
| 2 | English | robin | Any of various passerine birds of the families... |
| 3 | Middle English | Robin | — |
| 4 | Old French | Robert | a Germanic (Old Frankish) borrowing |
| 5 | Frankish | berht | bright |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | berhtaz | bright, shining |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | hrabnaz | raven |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱorh₂- | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱer- | to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,... |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | kr̥- | to turn, to bend |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | ker- | army |