akimbo
Valid in Scrabble
- Scrabble points
- 14
- Words With Friends
- 16
- Letters
- 6
/əˈkɪm.bəʊ/
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/əˈkɪm.bəʊ/ · /əˈkɪm.boʊ/
Definition of akimbo
5 senses · 3 parts of speech · etymology included
adj
-
(not-comparable)With a crook or bend; with the hand on the hip and elbow turned outward.
“"Now, then, mister," said he, with his head cocked and his arms akimbo, "what are you driving at? Let's have it straight, now."”
“Girls take hold of the skirts; boys place the hands akimbo, bend forward from the waist, and bow.”
“Men preferred one pose above all others, namely, the elbow akimbo.”
See all 5 definitions Show less
adj
-
(not-comparable)With a crook or bend; with the hand on the hip and elbow turned outward.
“"Now, then, mister," said he, with his head cocked and his arms akimbo, "what are you driving at? Let's have it straight, now."”
“Girls take hold of the skirts; boys place the hands akimbo, bend forward from the waist, and bow.”
“Men preferred one pose above all others, namely, the elbow akimbo.”
- (not-comparable)With legs spread and the knees bent in an outward or awkward way, sometimes with the feet touching.
adv
-
(not-comparable)Into, in, or of the position where the arms are akimbo.
“The man was standing akimbo.”
“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.”
“...and the other end window bearing the figure of a woman standing akimbo with her right hand touching her right temple.”
-
(not-comparable)Of weapons, especially firearms: one held in each hand.
“Although it was a little impractical, Elmer held his revolvers akimbo because to him it looked cool.”
verb
- (slang, transitive)To wield (two weapons), one in each hand.
Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.
Etymology
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 kengr (“bent”) + bogi (“a bow”), compare Icelandic kengboginn (“bow-bent”).
Words you can make from akimbo
41 playable · top: AMOK (10 pts)
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