Hobson's choice

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Hob·son's choice

(hŏb′sənz)

A choice between what is available and nothing; a lack of an alternative.

[After Thomas Hobson (1544?-1630), English keeper of a livery stable, from his requirement that customers take either the horse nearest the stable door or none.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Hobson's choice

(ˈhɒbsənz)

the choice of taking what is offered or nothing at all

[C16: named after Thomas Hobson (1544–1631), English liveryman who gave his customers no choice but had them take the nearest horse]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

Hob′son's choice′

(ˈhɒb sənz)
n.

the choice of taking either that which is offered or nothing; the absence of a real alternative.

[1640–50; after Thomas Hobson (1544–1631), of Cambridge, England, who rented horses and gave his customer only one choice, that of the horse nearest the stable door]

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Noun

Hobson's choice - the choice of taking what is offered or nothing at all

alternative, option, choice - one of a number of things from which only one can be chosen; "what option did I have?"; "there no other alternative"; "my only choice is to refuse"

Translations

Hobson's choice

[ˈhɒbsənzˈtʃɔɪs] N (Brit) → opción f única
it's Hobson's choice → o lo tomas o lo dejas

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

Hobson's choice

[ˈhɒbs/ənzˈtʃɔɪs] n it's Hobson's choice → è una questione di prendere o lasciare

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

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SALFORD playwright and author Harold Brighouse is best known for his play Hobson's Choice. It was made into a classic film starring Charles Laughton and John Mills in 1954.

Do you remember ?

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