elbow

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the part of a sleeve that covers the elbow joint

   The coat had patches over the elbows.

2. 2
   noun

   The joint between the upper arm and the forearm.

   Up to the elbowes naked were there Armes.

3. 3
   noun

   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

4. 4
   noun

   A detective.

   "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.

5. 5
   noun

   A hit, strike, or blow with the elbow.

   In the fair dinkum department that elbow prop Barrie McDermott threw into the face of Paul Sironen deserved to get him four months on the side-lines[.]

6. 6
   verb

   To push with the elbow or elbows; to forge ahead using the elbows to assist.

   He elbowed his way through the crowd.

7. 7
   verb

   To strike with the elbow.

   Trumper elbowed me in the ribs and made a sign with his head. He seemed irritated now by our delay.

8. 8
   verb

   To nudge, jostle or push.

   Suddenly and with all her heart Kate longed to be home, back at the homestead, to participate in the rambunctious toss and jostle as breakup elbowed its way into the Park.

Etymology

From Middle English elbowe (“elbow”), 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 and Norwegian albue (“elbow”), Faroese albogi, Icelandic olbogi, olnbogi (“elbow”), Swedish armbåge (“elbow”).