hobbing

hobbing — noun

1. the flat top part of a kitchen stove where pots and pans are placed for cooking,

1.名詞B1
釋義

the flat top part of a kitchen stove where pots and pans are placed for cooking, usually heated by gas burners or electric rings.

例句

Isabela boiled the pasta on the front burner of the gas hob while she stirred the sauce.

prepositional phrase: "on the ... hob"

The induction hob heats up much faster than an old electric one, so you need to watch the pan carefully.

types of hob: gas / electric / induction

同義詞
  • stovetop

    common American equivalent

  • cooktop

    standard term in both British and American English, especially for built-in units

文法句型

on the hob

gas hob

electric hob

用法筆記

This entry groups the senses of the noun 'hob' under the spelling 'hobbing' as given in the source dictionary. The word 'hobbing' on its own most commonly refers to the gear-cutting machining process (see sense 4 below) or the gerund form of the verb 'to hob'. For the cooktop, folklore, and fireplace meanings, see also 'hob'.

常見錯誤

I put the cake in the hob to bake.
I put the cake in the oven to bake.
💡The hob is the top surface for boiling, frying, or simmering, not for baking.

2. a flat shelf-like area built into the side or back of a fireplace where pots, ke

2.名詞C1
釋義

a flat shelf-like area built into the side or back of a fireplace where pots, kettles, or dishes can be placed to stay warm.

例句

Gita set the kettle on the hob to keep it hot while the guests finished their tea.

prepositional phrase: "on the hob"

In the old farmhouse, the hob was wide enough to hold two large pots of soup at the same time.

同義詞
  • hearth

    refers to the whole floor area in front of the fireplace, not just the shelf

文法句型

on the hob

hob + noun

用法筆記

Common in descriptions of traditional British houses and cottages. In modern homes this feature has largely been replaced by the separate cooktop (sense 1).

常見錯誤

She put the pan on the hob of the electric stove.
She put the pan on the hob.
💡In British English, 'hob' for a fireplace shelf and 'hob' for a cooktop are separate but related senses; context tells you which one is meant.

3. a small imaginary creature from old folk stories, often described as looking lik

3.名詞C1
釋義

a small imaginary creature from old folk stories, often described as looking like a hairy elf or goblin that enjoys causing minor trouble for people.

例句

The old grandmother warned the children that a hob lived in the hollow tree behind their cottage.

In Cornish folklore, a hob might tidy a kitchen at night if the family left out a bowl of cream.

"hob" as a helpful but mischievous household spirit

同義詞
  • goblin

    more aggressive and ugly in most traditions

  • sprite

    broader term for any small supernatural being

  • brownie

    Scottish household spirit, similar but usually helpful

文法句型

a hob

hob + verb (singular)

用法筆記

Common in British and Celtic folklore. The name is often shortened from 'hobgoblin'. In modern use the word mostly appears in stories or historical references rather than everyday speech.

常見錯誤

A hobgoblin and a hob is the same creature.
A hobgoblin and a hob are the same creature.
💡'hobgoblin' is a full compound noun, and 'hob' is its shortened form, not a different creature.

4. a hard steel cutting tool used in machine shops to cut the teeth of gears, worm

4.名詞C2
釋義

a hard steel cutting tool used in machine shops to cut the teeth of gears, worm wheels, and similar mechanical parts through a process called hobbing.

例句

The machinist fitted a new hob into the gear-cutting machine before starting the morning shift.

A single hob cut over six hundred truck gear wheels before the foreman sent it for sharpening.

countable noun in industrial context

同義詞
  • gear cutter

    broader term for any tool that cuts gear teeth

文法句型

hob + noun

hob for + noun

用法筆記

Highly technical term used in mechanical engineering and manufacturing. The process 'hobbing' (verb sense 1) is named after this tool. Not to be confused with the cooktop sense (1), which shares the same spelling but is unrelated in meaning.

常見錯誤

The chef sharpened his hob before cutting vegetables.
The chef sharpened his knife before cutting vegetables.
💡'hob' in the gear-cutting sense has nothing to do with kitchen knives.

5. playful trouble or annoyance, especially when someone causes disorder or confusi

5.名詞C1
釋義

playful trouble or annoyance, especially when someone causes disorder or confusion in a mischievous way; used almost only in fixed expressions.

例句

The children raised hob in the garden, turning the hose on each other and trampling the flowerbeds.

fixed phrase: "raise hob"

When the school trip was cancelled at the last minute, the students played hob with the teacher's carefully made plans.

fixed phrase: "play hob with"

同義詞
  • mischief

    broader and more common; can be used freely without fixed phrases

  • ruckus

    informal US term for noisy trouble, closer to 'raise hob'

文法句型

raise hob

play hob with something

用法筆記

This sense is virtually never used on its own — it appears in the idiomatic phrases 'raise hob' (cause trouble) and 'play hob with' (disrupt something). Distinguish from sense 3 (FOLKLORE CREATURE), where hob is a countable noun referring to a specific being.

常見錯誤

He caused a lot of hob.
He raised hob at the party.
💡'hob' meaning mischief cannot stand alone as a regular noun; it must appear in the fixed phrase 'raise hob' or 'play hob with'.

hobbing — verb