Select the most appropriate meaning of the given Idiom.

Hobson's Choice

An apparently free choice where there is no real alternative

The most appropriate meaning of the idiom "Hobson's Choice" is >An apparently free choice where there is no real alternative.<

This idiom is named after Thomas Hobson, a livery stable owner in Cambridge, England, in the 17th century. Hobson's rule was that customers could only take the horse that was nearest the door, or none at all. This meant that customers had no real choice, and they were effectively forced to take the horse that Hobson offered them.

The idiom "Hobson's Choice" is now used to describe any situation where someone is given the illusion of choice, but there is really no other option available to them. For example, you might say that a student is faced with a Hobson's Choice when they have to choose between two equally bad courses.