noun
elbow
EHL-boh
noun
1
The joint connecting the upper arm to the forearm.
"He scraped his elbow when he fell off his bike."
"She leaned on the table with her elbows."
2
A sharp bend or angled section, such as in a pipe, road, or piece of furniture.
"The plumber replaced the rusted elbow joint under the sink."
verb
1
To push or shove using the elbow, often to force a way through a crowd.
"He elbowed his way to the front of the queue."
"She elbowed him gently to get his attention."
How to Use Elbow
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe bendy joint in the middle of your arm, or, as a verb, to shove your way somewhere using it.
Common pairings
elbow your way
elbow room
elbow joint
rest your elbows
Word Forms
elbowed past tense, elbows plural, elbows singular
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Etymology
From Old English elboga, a combination of words meaning "ell" (a unit of length, roughly forearm-sized) and "bow" (a bend).