elbow

[ el-boh ]

/ ˈɛl boʊ /

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See synonyms for elbow on Thesaurus.com

noun

the bend or joint of the human arm between upper arm and forearm.

the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped.

something bent like an elbow, as a sharp turn in a road or river, or a piece of pipe bent at an angle.

Architecture. crossette.

Also called ell, el . a plumbing pipe or pipe connection having a right-angled bend.

verb (used with object)

to push with or as if with the elbow; jostle.

to make (one's way) by so pushing.

verb (used without object)

to elbow one's way: He elbowed through the crowd.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about elbow

at one's elbow, within easy reach; nearby: A virtue of the cottage is that the ocean is at your elbow.

bend / lift / crook an elbow, Informal. to drink alcoholic beverages.

give the elbow, shove aside, get rid of, or reject.

out at the elbows,

poorly dressed; shabby.
impoverished.

Also out at elbows.

rub elbows with, to mingle socially with; associate with: a resort where royalty rubs elbows with the merely rich.

up to one's elbows, very busy; engrossed: I am up to my elbows in answering mail.Also up to the elbows.

Origin of elbow

before 1000; Middle English elbowe,Old English el(n)boga; cognate with Middle Dutch elle(n)bōghe,Old High German el(l)inbogo (German Ellenbogen), Old Norse ǫl(n)bogi; literally, “forearm-bend.” See ell², bow¹

Words nearby elbow

Elberfeld, Elbe River, Elbert, Elberta, Elbląg, elbow, elbow-bender, elbow bump, elbow catch, elbow grease, elbowroom

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use elbow in a sentence

Late in the first half, Morsell fell to the court and reached toward the side of his face, where the elbow of an opposing player left a visible indentation.
Darryl Morsell’s parents attended his first 97 Maryland games. The pandemic ended the streak.|Emily Giambalvo|February 4, 2021|Washington Post
It’s another to curl around a screen, see a big man dropping into the paint and decide to rise for an uncontested jumper from the elbow.
Jaylen Brown Is Using The Midrange Shot To Reach A Different Level|Yaron Weitzman|January 29, 2021|FiveThirtyEight
Connecticut’s star player, James Bouknight, was out with an elbow injury.
A UConn basketball fan drank hot sauce on Twitter as a goof. The stunt caught on, and is helping needy kids go to games.|Kyle Melnick|January 26, 2021|Washington Post
Junior guard Aaron Wiggins had an elbow issue earlier this season, and senior guard Darryl Morsell had surgery two weeks ago to repair a fractured bone in his face.
Maryland gets a break from Big Ten grind with Div. II Wingate filling a schedule hole|Emily Giambalvo|January 14, 2021|Washington Post

She dribbled right against Jaelynn Penn and, in a split-second, crossed back over left toward the elbow area and buried a pull-up jumper.
Dynamic sophomores Ashley Owusu and Diamond Miller are powering an explosive Maryland offense|Kareem Copeland|January 13, 2021|Washington Post
I shut my eyes yet felt aware of the garden at my elbow, the blooms opening as if in time-lapse, the stalks lengthening.
Denis Johnson’s Beautiful Apocalypse|Nicholas Mancusi|November 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The document had no legal standing, but was offered to the public as a sharp elbow to some of the assertions made by Ryan.
The Myth of the Central Park Five|Edward Conlon|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What the state really needs is to figure out how to elbow its way into the tech economy.
The State Where the Right Won the Culture War|Michael Tomasky|October 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He changed sliders three times until he found one that didn't hurt his elbow.
Will the Real Jim Palmer Please Stand Up|Tom Boswell|September 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We never tell him, 'Great screwball,' though, because then his elbow would hurt.
Will the Real Jim Palmer Please Stand Up|Tom Boswell|September 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Jos lifted himself on his elbow, and fixing his shining eyes on Ramona, said in Spanish, "My mother asks if you are travellers?"
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
We must make more—much more—elbow room before the Turks get help from Asia or Constantinople.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
Having paused a few seconds to recover breath, he brushed his hat with his elbow, and declared himself ready.
The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, v. 2(of 2)|Charles Dickens
Just try it once, and you'll see how ingenious it is—only one must be careful not to throw out the elbow in turning out the wrist.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
Lettice raised herself suddenly on her elbow and looked down at him with earnestness.
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood

British Dictionary definitions for elbow

elbow

/ (ˈɛlbəʊ) /

noun

the joint between the upper arm and the forearm, formed by the junction of the radius and ulna with the humerus

the corresponding joint or bone of birds or mammals

the part of a garment that covers the elbow

something resembling an elbow, such as a sharp bend in a road or river

at one's elbow within easy reach

out at elbow or out at elbows ragged or impoverished

up to the elbows with or up to the elbows in busily occupied with; deeply immersed in

verb

(tr) to reject; dismiss. Also: give the elbow

to make (one's way) by shoving, jostling, etc

(tr) to knock or shove with or as if with the elbow

Word Origin for elbow

Old English elnboga; see ell ², bow ²; related to Old Norse olbogi, Old High German elinbogo

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with elbow

elbow

In addition to the idioms beginning with elbow

elbow grease
elbow room

also see:

at someone's elbow
crook one's elbow
out at the elbows
rub elbows with

elbow

Idioms about elbow

Origin of elbow

Words nearby elbow

Words related to elbow

How to use elbow in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for elbow

Word Origin for elbow

Other Idioms and Phrases with elbow