Nowadays, the word’s experiencing a bit of a resurgence as many wanderers have adopted the title to more clearly differentiate their way of life from hobos. It was even used in the name of the 1960s rock band Supertramp, after the members were inspired by William Henry Davies’ 1908 book The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp. The term “tramp” is somewhat antiquated (and has taken on other meanings), yet it’s never completely fallen out of the common lexicon. It initially referred to migrant workers searching for permanent work, but it was later used to designate those who “prefer the transient way of life.” The word “tramp” comes from a Middle English verb meaning to “walk with heavy footsteps,” and, like “hobo,” it also became widely used after the Civil War. Although “hobo” is a slang word, its meaning was well known by the late 19th century and Funk and Wagnalls even listed “hobo” in the 1893 edition of its dictionary, defining it (rather harshly) as “An idle, shiftless wandering workman, ranking scarcely above the tramp.” The hobo population also increased during the Great Depression, as unemployed men took to train-hopping with the hopes of finding better prospects on the road. While no one is quite sure how the word “hobo” developed, it seems to have originated in the American West after the US Civil War-a time when many discharged veterans were looking for employment. The word “bum” derives from the German verb bummeln, which means to loaf around or saunter.
They are the dispossessed who stay in the same town, and likely the same sidewalk, day in and day out.
So, a hobo-who often works for a living-might take offense if he is simply called a “bum.” This is because bums almost never work and they don’t even bother to travel. They are sometimes migratory laborers and may take long breaks between jobs before eventually returning to some sort of work. This is because there are small yet important differences between the meanings of these three words, and some homeless people use these terms to define their own habits or ethics.įor instance, a hobo is a homeless person who travels from town to town, picking up odd jobs along the way. In our age of political correctness, even the beggar on the street corner might get offended if you call him a bum when he considers himself a hobo or a tramp. To be precise, a hobo is someone who travels from place to place looking for work, a tramp is someone who travels but avoids work whenever possible, and a bum doesn’t care to work or travel. While most folks use these words interchangeably, there is a slight difference between the three-especially to those who live this lifestyle. Hobo, tramp, and bum are all terms for a person who’s homeless and without a steady job. You can call me a hobo ‘cause a hobo’ll work for his living and you can call me homeless ‘cause that’s true for now, but if you call me a bum again I’ll have to teach you somethin’ about respect that your daddy never did.” - Mud (2012) In A Nutshell
17 After caressing and talking to Jacky, the old hobo uttered a brief command.“I’m no bum. 21 After caressing and talking to Jacky, the old hobo uttered a brief command.Ģ5. 5 I slept in doorways, in hobo jungles, in flophouses, in open pastures.Ģ4. 24 There was no doubt he knew the hobo and knew him well.Ģ3. 3 If anything happens to this hobo, only the buzzards will care.Ģ2. 6 The hobo was a young man,[which shocked the brothers.Ģ1. The town is hosting a fund-raising rummage sale for charity to build a shelter home for hobos. 20 Inevitably, I was designated to become a hobo in later life.ġ9. 23 Hobo told Eddie that she had seen this film twice.ġ8. 13 How can I get married looking like a hobo?ġ7. 22 The person cannot become the hobo of corporeal slave, spirit.ġ6. 17 He was rigged out, almost like a hobo.ġ5. You shouldn't be calling the Head of Suzuran a hobo.ġ4. Hobo Soup was typically made with a random array of ingredients provided from those gathering around the soup caldron, which may have consisted of whatever was found in gardens and was given to the Hobo. as those who rode the rails became a part of the history of America. 11 Listen, Hobo, you're very lucky, you know.ġ3. Share this A classic soup that was made in the Hobo camps across the U.S. A hobo, especially one who carries a bedroll.ġ2. 12 A hobo, especially one who carries a bedroll.ġ0. Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word Hobo. 2 The hobo could not flow, could not plop.ĩ. The hobo could not flow, could not plop.Ĩ. We can refer to these sentence patterns for sentences in case of finding sample sentences with the word "hobo|hoboes|hobos", or refer to the context using the word "hobo|hoboes|hobos" in the English Dictionary.Ħ. Below are sample sentences containing the word "hobo|hoboes|hobos" from the English Dictionary.
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