Hobson's choice HAHB-suhnz-choyss (noun) : an apparently free choice when there is no real alternative Example sentence: "You can either eat the dinner I have served you or go hungry," said Mother, presenting the grumbling children with a classic Hobson's choice. Did you know? In the late 16th and early 17th centuries, Thomas Hobson worked as a licensed carrier of passengers, letters, and parcels between Cambridge and London, England. He kept horses for this purpose and rented them to university students when he wasn't using them. Of course, the students always wanted their favorite mounts, and consequently a few of Hobson's horses became overworked. To correct the situation, Hobson began a strict rotation system, giving each customer the choice of taking the horse nearest the stable door or none at all. This rule became known as "Hobson's choice," and soon people were using that term to mean "no choice at all" in all kinds of situations.* *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. --------------------------------------------- Be nice, or be alone the rest of your life.