hobbyhorse

hob·by·horse  (hb-hôrs)

n.

1.

a. A child's riding toy that consists of a long stick with an imitation horse's head on one end.

b. See rocking horse.

2.

a. A figure of a horse worn attached to the waist of a mummer, as in a morris dance.

b. A person wearing such a figure.

3.

a. A favorite hobby.

b. A topic that one frequently brings up or dwells on; a fixation.

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hobbyhorse [ˈhɒbɪˌhɔːs]

n

1. a toy consisting of a stick with a figure of a horse's head at one end

2. another word for rocking horse

3. (Performing Arts / Theatre) a figure of a horse attached to a performer's waist in a pantomime, morris dance, etc.

4. a favourite topic or obsessive fixed idea (esp in the phrase on one's hobbyhorse)

vb

(Transport / Nautical Terms) (intr) Nautical (of a vessel) to pitch violently

[from hobby¹, originally a small horse, hence sense 3; then generalized to apply to any pastime]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	hobbyhorse - a topic to which one constantly reverts; "don't get him started on his hobbyhorse" preoccupation - an idea that preoccupies the mind and holds the attention
	2.	hobbyhorse - a child's plaything consisting of an imitation horse mounted on rockers; the child straddles it and pretends to ride rocking horse, hobby plaything, toy - an artifact designed to be played with rocker - a curved support that permits the supported object to rock to and fro

Translations

hobbyhorse [ˈhɒbɪhɔːs] N

1. (= toy) → caballito m (de niño), caballo m mecedor

2. (fig) (= preoccupation) → caballo m de batalla, tema m preferido
he's on his hobbyhorse again → ya está otra vez con lo mismo

hobbyhorse

n (lit, fig) → Steckenpferd nt; (lit: = rocking horse) → Schaukelpferd nt; this is my personal hobbyhorse (fig) → das ist mein Lieblingsthema