語源はhop, jump, -le, to repeatと同じ。つまり、飛び跳ねる、hobble、limpから派生した。
英語の語源
hobble (v.)
c. 1300, hoblen "to rock back and forth, toss up and down," probably related to its Dutch cognate hobbelen (which, however, is not recorded before late 15c.).
Meaning "to walk lamely" is from c. 1400. Transitive sense of "tie the legs (of an animal)" first recorded 1831, probably an alteration of 16c. hopple, cognate with Flemish hoppelen "to rock, jump," which also is related to Dutch hobbelen. Sense of "hamper, hinder" is c. 1870. Related: Hobbled; hobbling. The noun is 1727, from the verb.
例文
1. Hobble and limp describe the uneven movement of someone whose legs are injured.
hobble とlimpはいずれも足に怪我をしたときの不安定なステップを指している。
＜dl>＜dt＞2.The swelling had begun to go down，and he was able，with pain，to hobble .
腫脹はすでに消え始めており、彼は痛みをこらえてびっこを引いて歩くことができた。
3.He was left with no alternative but to hobble to the nearest telephone box.
他に方法がなく、一番近い電話ボックスまでびっこを引いて歩くしかなかった。
4.Now，here it is：What could I do，with this old timber I hobble on？
ほら、私はこの杖をついてどうすることができますか。
-金銀島
5.It 's a pity for me to see an old woman hobble away.