dobbin

See also: Dobbin

English

Etymology

From Dobbin, a common name given to workhorses.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈdɒbɪn/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈdɑbɪn/
• Rhymes: -ɒbɪn

Noun

dobbin (countable and uncountable, plural dobbins)

1. An old jaded horse.

   Synonyms: hack, jade, nag

2. (UK, dialect, uncountable) Sea gravel mixed with sand.
3. (dated, slang, among students) Synonym of horse (illegitimate study aid)

Translations

old broken-down horse

• Finnish: kaakki (fi)
• French: carne (fr) f
• German: Schindmähre f, Mähre (de) f, Klepper (de) m
• Polish: chabeta (pl) f, szkapa (pl) f
• Russian: кля́ча (ru) f (kljáča), одёр (ru) m (odjór)
• Spanish: ruco (es) m (Latin America), matalón m
• Volapük: (male or female) lujevod (vo)

Further reading

• “dobbin”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2025) “dobbin”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.