hobbledehoys

Had they been boys, they would have been called hobbledehoys; but, being Bob Whites, they were known as squealers, and as such they felt very mannish and ambitious to be independent; but, nevertheless, they still liked to huddle together at nightfall and talk over the day's doings, close to, if not under, the mother's wing.

Plantation Sketches Margaret Devereux

Italy was scourged by its hobbledehoys in black shirts; Russia was ruled by the blue-chinned Young; Ireland was devastated by hooligan patriots; presently

The Shape of Things to Come Herbert George 2006

Such hobbledehoys receive but little petting, unless it be from

The Small House at Allington 2004

And now it had gone to Bearside whom Nickem remembered as a junior to himself when they were both young hobbledehoys at Norrington, — a dirty, blear-eyed, pimply-faced boy who was suspected of purloining halfpence out of coat-pockets.

The American Senator 2004

This boy, starting tiny and growing huge, would one day become a legend in the minds of his minions, a hero in the hearts of his hobbledehoys, the fanciest lad of them all: Springheel Jack!

Asimov's Science Fiction 2004

Nevertheless, they spoke of him occasionally with some little dash of merriment — as is not unusual with pretty girls who have hobbledehoys among their intimate friends, and who are not themselves unaccustomed to the grace of an Apollo.

The Small House at Allington 2004

The three hobbledehoys, had it been a weekday and they in working clothes, might have felt free to act, but the stiffness of black was upon them and they simply moved to the corner by

The History of Mr. Polly 2003

'I think it's essential that he learns to dance,' said Margo, 'or else he'll grow up into one of these awful tongue-tied hobbledehoys.'

My Family and Other Animals Durrell, Gerald, 1925- 1956

'Not to church now, but I must be off to Bar-end, where I have my class of hobbledehoys from the farms.'

Holiday Tales Florence Wilford

Mohawks, -- whelps of the squirarchy and hobbledehoys of the universities, -- Squire Gawkies and Squire Westerns and Tony Lumpkins,

The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 15, No. 87, January, 1865 Various