First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
1elbow
noun el·bow \ˈel-ˌbō\
: the joint where your arm bends
: the part of a piece of clothing that covers the elbow
: something (such as a pipe or a piece of food) that is bent like an elbow
Full 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
See elbow defined for English-language learners
See elbow defined for kids
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Origin of ELBOW
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
: to push or shove (someone) with your elbow
Full 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
See elbow defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of ELBOW
1605
ELBOW[1] Defined for Kids
1elbow
noun el·bow \ˈel-ˌbō\
Definition of ELBOW for Kids
1
: the joint or the region of the joint of the arm or of the same part of an animal's front legs
2
: a part (as of a pipe) bent like an elbow
2elbow
verb
el·bowedel·bow·ing
Definition of ELBOW for Kids
1
: to jab with an elbow
2
: to push or force a way with or as if with the elbows <He elbowed his way past Officer Delinko … — Carl Hiaasen, Hoot>
Medical Dictionary
elbow
noun el·bow \ˈel-ˌbō\
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
Learn More About ELBOW
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