Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Elbow

El′bow

,
Noun.
[AS.
elboga
,
elnboga
(akin to D.
elleboga
, OHG.
elinbogo
, G.
ellbogen
,
ellenbogen
, Icel.
[GREEK]lnbogi
; prop.; arm-bend);
eln
ell (orig., forearm) +
boga
a bending. See 1st
Ell
, and 4th
Bow
.]
1.
The joint or bend of the arm; the outer curve in the middle of the arm when bent.
Her arms to the
elbows
naked.
R. of Gloucester.
2.
Any turn or bend like that of the elbow, in a wall, building, and the like; a sudden turn in a line of coast or course of a river; also, an angular or jointed part of any structure, as the raised arm of a chair or sofa, or a short pipe fitting, turning at an angle or bent.
3.
(Arch.)
A sharp angle in any surface of wainscoting or other woodwork; the upright sides which flank any paneled work, as the sides of windows, where the jamb makes an elbow with the window back.
Gwilt.
☞ Elbow is used adjectively or as part of a compound, to denote something shaped like, or acting like, an elbow; as, elbow joint; elbow tongs or elbow-tongs; elbowroom, elbow-room, or elbow room.
At the elbow
,
very near; at hand.
–
Elbow grease
,
energetic application of force in manual labor.
[Low]
–
Elbow in the hawse
(Naut.)
,
the twisting together of two cables by which a vessel rides at anchor, caused by swinging completely round once.
Totten.
–
Elbow scissors
(Surg.)
,
scissors bent in the blade or shank for convenience in cutting.
Knight.
–
Out at elbow
,
with coat worn through at the elbows; shabby; in needy circumstances.

El′bow

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Elbowed
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Elbowing
.]
To push or hit with the elbow, as when one pushes by another.
They [the Dutch] would
elbow
our own aldermen off the Royal Exchange.
Macaulay.
To elbow one’s way
,
to force one's way by pushing with the elbows;
as,
to elbow one's way
through a crowd
.

El′bow

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To jut into an angle; to project or to bend after the manner of an elbow.
2.
To push rudely along; to elbow one's way.
“Purseproud, elbowing Insolence.”
Grainger.

Webster 1828 Edition

Elbow

EL'BOW

, n.
1.
The outer angle made by the bend of the arm.
The wings that waft our riches out of sight
Grow on the gamester's elbows.
2.
Any flexure or angle; the obtuse angle of a wall, building or road.
To be at the elbow, is to be very near; to be by the side; to be at hand.

EL'BOW

,
Verb.
T.
To push with the elbow.
1.
To push or drive to a distance; to encroach on.
He'll elbow out his neighbors.

EL'BOW

,
Verb.
I.
To jut into an angle; to project; to bend.

Definition 2024

elbow

elbow

English

an elbow

Noun

elbow ‎(plural elbows)

  1. The joint between the upper arm and the forearm.
    • (Can we date this quote?), Robert of Gloucester, (Please provide the title of the work):
      her arms to the elbows naked
    • 1907, Robert W. Chambers, “VIII”, in The Younger Set:
      Elbows almost touching they leaned at ease, idly reading the almost obliterated lines engraved there. "I never understood it," she observed, lightly scornful. "What occult meaning has a sun-dial for the spooney? I'm sure I don't want to read riddles in a strange gentleman's optics."
  2. Any turn or bend like that of the elbow, in a wall, building, coastline, etc.; an angular or jointed part of any structure, such as the raised arm of a chair or sofa, or a short pipe fitting, turning at an angle or bent.
    the sides of windows, where the jamb makes an elbow with the window back‎
  3. (US, dated, early 20th-century slang) A detective.
    • 1924, Dashiell Hammett, Zigzags of Treachery:
      "An elbow, huh?" putting all the contempt he could in his voice; and somehow any synonym for detective seems able to hold a lot of contempt.
  4. (basketball) Part of a basketball court located at the intersection of the free-throw line and the free-throw lane.[1]

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

elbow ‎(third-person singular simple present elbows, present participle elbowing, simple past and past participle elbowed)

  1. To push with the elbow; to jostle or force.
    He elbowed his way through the crowd.‎

Derived terms

Translations

See also

  • Appendix:Parts of the knot

Anagrams

References

  1. ↑ Newell, Pete; Nater, Swen (2008). Pete Newell's Playing Big. Human Kinetics. p.26: ISBN 9780736068093. Retrieved April 11, 2013.

Etymology

From Middle English elbowe, from Old English elboga, elnboga ‎(“elbow”), from Proto-Germanic *alinabugô ‎(“elbow”), equivalent to ell +‎ bow. Cognate with Scots elbuck ‎(“elbow”), Saterland Frisian Älbooge ‎(“elbow”), Dutch elleboog ‎(“elbow”), Low German Ellebage ‎(“elbow”), German Ellbogen, Ellenbogen ‎(“elbow”), Danish albue ‎(“elbow”), Icelandic olbogi, olnbogi ‎(“elbow”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈɛl.bəʊ/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈɛl.boʊ/

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