elbow

el·bow

The human elbow.

noun

The definition of an elbow is the joint that bends between the top and bottom parts of the arm, or anything bend in a 45° or 90° angle.

An example of an elbow is the part of the arm that bends when swinging a tennis racket.

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"elbow." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 March 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/elbow>.

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elbow. (n.d.). Retrieved March 20th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/elbow

elbow

1. the joint between the upper and lower arm; esp., the outer part of the angle made by a bent arm
2. the joint corresponding to this in the forelimb of quadrupeds
the part of a sleeve covering the elbow
anything bent like an elbow, as a fitting for joining plumbing pipes at a 45° or 90° angle

Origin of elbow

Middle English elbowe from Old English elboga from Proto-Germanic an unverified form alino-boga (from source German ellenbogen): see ell and bow

to shove or jostle with or as with elbows
to push (one's way) with the elbows or rudely

to make one's way by shoving or jostling
to form an angle

elbow Idioms

at someone's elbow

very close to someone; easy to reach

out at (the) elbows

shabby; poverty-stricken

up to the elbows

Informal deeply engaged (in work, etc.)

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"elbow." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 March 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/elbow>.

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elbow. (n.d.). Retrieved March 20th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/elbow

elbow

noun

a. The joint or bend of the arm between the forearm and the upper arm.
b. The bony outer projection of this joint.
A joint, as of a bird or quadruped, corresponding to the human elbow.
Something having a bend or angle similar to an elbow, especially:
a. A length of pipe with a sharp bend in it.
b. A sharp bend in a river or road.

verb

el·bowed, el·bow·ing, el·bows

verb

transitive

To push, jostle, or shove with the elbow: elbowed me in the ribs to get me to stop laughing.
To open up (a means of passage, for example) by or as if by use of the elbow: elbowed her way through the crowd.

verb

intransitive

To make one's way by pushing with the elbow.
To turn at an angle; bend: The lane elbows to the left.

Origin of elbow

Middle English elbowe from Old English elnboga ; see el- in Indo-European roots.

elbow

90° angle elbow with female threads at both ends

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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MLA Style

"elbow." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 March 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/elbow>.

APA Style

elbow. (n.d.). Retrieved March 20th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/elbow

Noun

(plural elbows)

The joint between the upper arm and the forearm.
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
(basketball) Part of a basketball court located at the intersection of the free-throw line and the free-throw lane.

Verb

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

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

Origin

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”).

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.

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MLA Style

"elbow." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 March 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/elbow>.

APA Style

elbow. (n.d.). Retrieved March 20th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/elbow

elbow - Medical Definition

n.

1. The joint or bend of the arm between the forearm and the upper arm.
2. The bony outer projection of this joint.
A joint, as of a bird or quadruped, corresponding to the human elbow.