hobnail

noun

hob·​nail ˈhäb-ˌnāl How to pronounce hobnail (audio)
: a short large-headed nail for studding shoe soles
hobnailed adjective

Examples of hobnail in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The dial is guilloched with a Clous de Paris hobnail pattern. Carol Besler, Robb Report, 24 Apr. 2023 Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 7 Pottery Barn Jupiter Drinking Glasses A bestseller at Pottery Barn, these striking glasses are available in two sizes and feature delicate hobnail details. Alyssa Gautieri, goodhousekeeping.com, 11 Apr. 2023 As a rebuke to warmongers, a monument from one Hohenzollern despot to another seems inapt and more like a hint to keep those hobnail jackboots handy. Brian T. Allen, National Review, 1 Apr. 2023 What's a hobnail lamp? Jorie Nicole McDonald, Southern Living, 14 Apr. 2021 His first rubber soles mimicked hobnail soles. Andrew Freeman, Outside Online, 21 May 2012 Housed in a new Calatrava case bearing guilloched sides, the model features the brand’s signature hobnail pattern. Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 25 Apr. 2022 Fenton had the hobnail pattern, which applies to your dresser lamps. Brenda Yenke, cleveland, 9 June 2022 Cool and youthful, but just classic enough, Patek Philippe's Calatrava Reference 5226G sports a refined case with a hobnail pattern guillochéed around the entire circumference of the caseband. Alex Doak, CNN, 11 Apr. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hobnail.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

hob entry 2

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hobnail was in 1592

Dictionary Entries Near hobnail

Cite this Entry

“Hobnail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hobnail. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hobnail

noun
hob·​nail ˈhäb-ˌnāl How to pronounce hobnail (audio)
: a large-headed nail driven into the soles of heavy shoes as a protection against wear
hobnailed adjective

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