elbow

¹el·bow

noun \ˈel-ˌbō\

Definition of ELBOW

1

a : the joint of the human arm

b : a corresponding joint in the anterior limb of a lower vertebrate

2

: something (as macaroni or an angular pipe fitting) resembling an elbow

— at one's elbow

: at one's side

— out at elbows or out at the elbows

1

: shabbily dressed

2

: short of funds

Examples of ELBOW

1. He wore a tattered coat with holes in the elbows.

Origin of ELBOW

Middle English elbowe, from Old English elboga, from el- (akin to eln ell) + Old English boga bow — more at ell, bow

First Known Use: before 12th century

Rhymes with ELBOW

aglow, ago, airflow, airglow, air show, alow, although, archfoe, argot, a throw, backflow, backhoe, bandeau, Baotou, barlow, bateau, below, bestow, big toe, bon mot, bravo, by-blow, cachepot, callow, caló, Carlow, cash flow, chapeau, Chi-Rho, cockcrow, Cocteau, cornrow, corn snow, crossbow, Cousteau, Darrow, Day-Glo, dayglow, death row, Defoe, de trop, deathblow, deco, down-bow, dumb show, escrow, fencerow, flambeau, floor show, flyblow, fogbow, forego, foreknow, forgo, freak show, free throw, Freneau, Fuzhou, galop, game show, genro, gigot, Glencoe, go-slow, Gounod, Guangzhou, gung ho, guyot, Hadow, Hangzhou, Hankow, Harrow, heave-ho, hedgerow, heigh-ho, hello, hollo, horse show, ice floe, ice show, inflow, in tow, Io, jabot, jambeau, Jane Doe, jim crow, Jinzhou, Joe Blow, Jiaozhou, John Doe, Juneau, Hounslow, kayo, KO, Lanzhou, lie low, light show, longbow, low blow, Luchow, macho, mahoe, maillot, mallow, manteau, Marlowe, Marot, marrow, matelot, merlot, Meursault, minnow, Miró, misknow, Moho, mojo, morceau, morrow, Moscow, mucro, mudflow, Murrow, nightglow, no-no, no-show, nouveau, oboe, outflow, outgo, outgrow, oxbow, peep show, Pernod, picot, plateau, pronto, Quanzhou, quiz show, rainbow, Rameau, red snow, reflow, regrow, repo, reseau, road show, rondeau, rondo, roscoe, Roseau, rouleau, sabot, Saint-Lô, salchow, scarecrow, self-sow, serow, shadblow, Shantou, sideshow, skid row, ski tow, Soho, so-so, sound bow, sourdough, stone's throw, sunbow, Suzhou, tableau, Taizhou, talk show, tiptoe, Thoreau, tone row, tonneau, trade show, trousseau, Trudeau, uh-oh, unsew, up-bow, upthrow, van Gogh, wallow, Wenzhou, Wicklow, widow, willow, windrow, windthrow, winnow, Winslow, Wuzhou, Xuzhou, Yalow, yarrow, Zhangzhou, Zhengzhou, Zibo

²elbow

verb

Definition of ELBOW

transitive verb

1

a : to push with the elbow : jostle

b : to shove aside by pushing with or as if with the elbow <people elbowed each other to get a better view>

2

: to force (as one's way) by pushing with or as if with the elbow <elbowing our way through the crowd>

intransitive verb

1

: to advance by pushing with the elbow

2

: to make an angle : turn

Examples of ELBOW

1. The actor's bodyguards rudely elbowed everyone out of the way.
2. Everyone was shoving and elbowing to get a good position.

First Known Use of ELBOW

1605

Related to ELBOW

Synonyms

bore, bull, bulldoze, crash, ²press, jam, jostle, muscle, push, shoulder, squeeze

Related Words

ram, shove, thrust

el·bow

noun \ˈel-ˌbō\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of ELBOW

1

: the joint between the human forearm and the upper arm that supports the outer curve of the arm when bent—called also elbow joint

2

: a joint in the anterior limb of a lower vertebrate corresponding to the elbow