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Hobnob and Shakespeare
In William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Sir Toby Belch warned Viola (who was disguised as a man) that Sir Andrew wanted to duel. "Hob, nob is his word," said Sir Toby, using "hob, nob" to mean something like "hit or miss." Sir Toby's term is probably an alteration of "hab nab," a phrase that meant "to have or not have, however it may turn out." After Shakespeare's day, hob and nob were used in the phrases "to drink hob or nob" and "to drink hobnob," which meant "to drink alternately to each other." Since "drinking hobnob" was generally done among friends, hobnob came to refer to congenial social interaction.
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Examples of hobnob in a Sentence
Philissa Cramer, Sun Sentinel, 20 June 2024
Gabe Kaminsky - March 9, 2024 5:00 am Biden judicial pick hobnobbed with anti-Israel activists at event sponsored by...
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—Gabe Kaminsky, The Washington Examiner, 17 June 2024
While Mayor Ed Koch was hobnobbing with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, Regan managed to maneuver Carey, who was running for re-election, next to Jackson.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 4 May 2024
The other women, while not hobnobbing as much with the A-lister, had floor seats and were very defensive about that level of access.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 3 June 2024
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“Hobnob.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hobnob. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
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hobnob
verb
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