Hobby Horse

(hä-bē-ˌhȯrs) n. I. 1. A toy horse, usually comprised of a figure of a horse's head attached to a stick. 2. A toy horse that, via various mechanics, stimulate the riding of a horse through rocking. (Etymology I- Derived possibly from the "'Obby 'Oss", an English folk tradition wherein Morris Dancers dress as horses, which, in itself, is probably derived from the IRISH HOBBY, a breed of horse, now extinct, that the "'Obby 'Oss" was probably made to resemble) II. 1. A favourite topic. (Possibly from Lawrence Sterne's "Tristram Shandy", who uses it, quite frequently, in the third sense) III. 1. A female of loose virtue and even looser undergarments, a woman who is 'easy to get', a lady who uses sex as a means of earning legal tender. See Prostitute, loose woman, and strumpet. (Derived from def. I, 'a toy horse', she can be 'ridden' by all)