Post by t-bob on Jan 16, 2019 11:50:09 GMT -5
AKIMBO
adjective, adverb
1. with hand on hip and elbow bent outward: to stand with arms akimbo.
2. (of limbs) splayed out in an awkward or ungainly manner: After the strenuous hike, she sat on the floor with her legs akimbo.
3. (of limbs) fully extended in opposite directions: The dancer warmed up with his arms and legs stretched akimbo.
4. to one side; askew; awry: They wore their hats akimbo. He woke up from his nap, hair akimbo.
Quotes
when a knowing, self-important old gentleman, in a sharp cocked hat, made his way through the crowd ... and planting himself before Van Winkle, with one arm akimbo, the other resting on his cane, his keen eyes and sharp hat penetrating, as it were, into his very soul ... -- Washington Irving, Rip Van Winkle, 1819 Placed on top was a primitive wooden statue of the general himself, left arm akimbo and eyes fixed on uptown. -- "Arch of Pride," New York Times, June 1, 1991
Origin
The origin of English akimbo is disputed. The various Middle English spellings include in kenebowe, a kenbow, on kenbow, a canne-bow.... The Middle English forms look like a prepositional phrase composed of in or on (reduced to a) and another word (or other words) of uncertain origin and meaning. Some authorities consider the rest of the phrase to be native English words meaning “(a) sharp angle,” with keen in the sense of “sharp” and bow in the sense of “angle, bow” (as in elbow). Others consider the source to be Old Norse í keng boginn “bent in a bow or curve,” but the sense “with hand on hip and elbow bent outward” does not occur in Old Norse or Icelandic; yet others go to Old French chane, kane, quenne “pitcher, jug, flagon” and English bow “handle.” Akimbo entered English in the 15th century.
adjective, adverb
1. with hand on hip and elbow bent outward: to stand with arms akimbo.
2. (of limbs) splayed out in an awkward or ungainly manner: After the strenuous hike, she sat on the floor with her legs akimbo.
3. (of limbs) fully extended in opposite directions: The dancer warmed up with his arms and legs stretched akimbo.
4. to one side; askew; awry: They wore their hats akimbo. He woke up from his nap, hair akimbo.
Quotes
when a knowing, self-important old gentleman, in a sharp cocked hat, made his way through the crowd ... and planting himself before Van Winkle, with one arm akimbo, the other resting on his cane, his keen eyes and sharp hat penetrating, as it were, into his very soul ... -- Washington Irving, Rip Van Winkle, 1819 Placed on top was a primitive wooden statue of the general himself, left arm akimbo and eyes fixed on uptown. -- "Arch of Pride," New York Times, June 1, 1991
Origin
The origin of English akimbo is disputed. The various Middle English spellings include in kenebowe, a kenbow, on kenbow, a canne-bow.... The Middle English forms look like a prepositional phrase composed of in or on (reduced to a) and another word (or other words) of uncertain origin and meaning. Some authorities consider the rest of the phrase to be native English words meaning “(a) sharp angle,” with keen in the sense of “sharp” and bow in the sense of “angle, bow” (as in elbow). Others consider the source to be Old Norse í keng boginn “bent in a bow or curve,” but the sense “with hand on hip and elbow bent outward” does not occur in Old Norse or Icelandic; yet others go to Old French chane, kane, quenne “pitcher, jug, flagon” and English bow “handle.” Akimbo entered English in the 15th century.
