akimbo
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English[edit]
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Etymology[edit]
From Middle English in kenebowe, in kene bowe (“in a keen bow”, i.e. “in a sharp bend or angle”), from in (“in”) + keen, kene (“brave, keen, sharp”) + bowe (“bow, bend”). Alternately, possibly from Old Norse keng (“bent”) + bogi (“a bow”), compare Icelandic kengboginn (“bow-bent”).
Pronunciation[edit]
Adjective[edit]
akimbo (not comparable)
- With a crook or bend; with the hand on the hip and elbow turned outward.
- 1892, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle:
- "Now, then, mister," said he, with his head cocked and his arms akimbo, "what are you driving at? Let's have it straight, now."
- 1921, Lydia Clark, Physical Training for the Elementary Schools: Gymnastics, Games, and Rhythmic Plays, page 66:
- Girls take hold of the skirts; boys place the hands akimbo, bend forward from the waist, and bow.
- 2004, Zirka Z. Filipczak, "Poses and Passions: Mona Lisa's 'Closely Folded' Hands", in G K Paster, et al. (eds.) Reading the Early Modern Passions: Essays in the Cultural History of Emotion, page 83.
- Men preferred one pose above all others, namely, the elbow akimbo.
Usage notes[edit]
- Almost always used after the noun modified.
Translations[edit]
with a crook or bend; with the hand on the hip and elbow turned outward
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Adverb[edit]
akimbo (not comparable)
- Into, in, or of the position where the arms are akimbo.
- The man was standing akimbo.
- 1903, Emily Constance Baird Cook, Highways and byways in London, page 430:
- Otherwise, it is likely that she may be accosted as "dear" or "Sally,"—invited to take "a drop o' tea," or otherwise chaffed by rough women standing akimbo at street doors.
- 1978, Padma Upadhyaya, Female Images in the Museums of Uttar Pradesh, page 272:
- ...and the other end window bearing the figure of a woman standing akimbo with her right hand touching her right temple.
Related terms[edit]
Translations[edit]
with arms akimbo
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Further reading[edit]
- “Akimbo” in Michael Quinion, World Wide Words[1], 1996–.
- “akimbo” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2001–2019.
Categories:
- English terms derived from the PIE root *bʰewgʰ-
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old Norse
- English 3-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- English lemmas
- English adjectives
- English uncomparable adjectives
- English terms with quotations
- English adverbs
- English uncomparable adverbs
- English terms with usage examples
