ELBOW • DICCIONARIO INGLES.COM • Definition of Elbow

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/ˈɛlbˌoʊ/ Listen

noun

Elbow n.

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."

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. Note: 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.

Elbow scissors (Surg.), scissors bent in the blade or shank for convenience in cutting.

Out at elbow, with coat worn through at the elbows; shabby; in needy circumstances.

verb

Elbow v. t. (past & past part. elbowed; pres. part. 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."

To elbow one's way, to force one's way by pushing with the elbows; as, to elbow one's way through a crowd.

Elbow v. 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."

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Etymology of 'Elbow'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Elbow" Quotes from Famous Books

... columns. In the lower left-hand square, to the large green figure, those in column 1; thus, at the left foot, the Dragon; to the back of the head, the Snake; to the eye, Cane; in the right hand, Water; and below the elbow, but connected with the mouth, Ollin or movement (sometimes translated earthquake). To the yellow figure, in the lower right-hand square, are applied those of the second column; to the black figure, in the upper right-hand square, those ...

— Notes on Certain Maya and Mexican Manuscripts • Cyrus Thomas

... slid his hand from wrist to elbow and came to rest half way back. Tired and languid from the morning in the sun, she found herself thrilling to his touch and half-dreamily deciding that here was a man she ...

— The Valley of the Moon • Jack London

... firmly grasped, stole softly along the side of the cabin until close to the door. In reaching the spot, he stooped so as to move beyond the first opening, the proceeding placing him between the windows, with his left elbow against the heavy door. ...

— The Great Cattle Trail • Edward S. Ellis

... of the day, the aspect of the country began to change a little. The downs were lower: we perceived, at a distance, a sheet of water: we thought, and this was no small satisfaction to us, that it was the Senegal which made an elbow in this place to run parallel to the sea. From this elbow runs the little rivulet called Marigot des Maringouins; we left the sea-shore to pass it a little higher up. We reached a spot where there was some verdure and water, and resolved to ...

— Narrative of a Voyage to Senegal in 1816 • J. B. Henry Savigny and Alexander Correard

... horse and raised my gun, one of them jumped behind a rock and spoke to the other who turned arround and stoped at the distance of 30 steps from me and I shot him through the belly, he fell to his knees and on his wright elbow from which position he partly raised himself up and fired at me, and turning himself about crawled in behind a rock which was a few feet from him. he overshot me, being bearheaded I felt the wind of his bullet very distinctly. not having my shotpouch ...

— The Journals of Lewis and Clark • Meriwether Lewis et al

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