Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1700-1800
Origin: drink hobnob 'to take turns in drinking' (18-19 centuries), from habnab 'in one way or another' (16-19 centuries), probably from Old English habban 'to have' and nabban 'to have not'

hobnob

 verb
     
hob‧nob past tense and past participle hobnobbed, present participle hobnobbing [intransitive]
informal to spend time talking to people who are in a higher social position than you
hobnob with
He spent the first day hobnobbing with the management.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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