akimbo

akimbo
\ \ [15] Akimbo was borrowed from Old Norse. Its original English spelling (which occurs only once, in the Tale of Beryn 1400) was in kenebowe, which suggests a probable Old Norse precursor *i keng boginn (never actually discovered), meaning literally ‘bent in a curve’ (Old Norse bogi is related to English bow); hence the notion of the arms sticking out at the side, elbows bent. When the word next appears in English, in the early 17th century, it has become on kenbow or a kenbo, and by the 18th century akimbo has arrived.
\ \ Cf.BOW

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Akimbo — is a human body position in which the hands are on the hips and the elbows are bowed outward, or bent/bowed in a more general sense Fact|date=September 2007 (e.g. the sailor sat with his legs akimbo ).OriginsThe word s origins are murky. The term …   Wikipedia

  • Akimbo — A*kim bo, a. [Etymology unknown. Cf. {Kimbo}.] With a crook or bend; with the hand on the hip and elbow turned outward. With one arm akimbo. Irving. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • akimbo — [ə kim′bō] adv., adj. [ME in kenebowe, lit., in keen bow, i.e., in a sharp curve; a folk etym. from ON kengboginn, bow bent < keng, bent + bogi, a bow] with hands on hips and elbows bent outward [with arms akimbo] …   English World dictionary

  • akimbo — c.1400, in kenebowe, of unknown origin, perhaps from Middle English phrase in keen bow at a sharp angle, or from a Scandinavian word akin to Icelandic kengboginn bow bent, but this seems not to have been used in this exact sense. Many languages… …   Etymology dictionary

  • akimbo — ► ADVERB ▪ with hands on the hips and elbows turned outwards. ORIGIN probably from Old Norse …   English terms dictionary

  • Akimbo — Alison Carroll 2008 als Lara Croft Akimbo (ursprünglich englisch für Arme in die Hüften gestemmt) bezeichnet in der Computerspiel Szene das gleichzeitige Benutzen gleicher Waffen mit beiden Händen. Dabei handelt es sich in der Regel um Pistolen… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • akimbo — 1. adjective /əˈkɪm.bəʊ,əˈkɪm.boʊ/ 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? Lets have it straight, now. 2. adverb… …   Wiktionary

  • akimbo — a|kim|bo [əˈkımbəu US bou] adj [Date: 1700 1800; Origin: in kenbow, on kenbow (15 17 centuries), probably from an unrecorded Old Norse i keng boginn bent in a curve ] 1.) (with) arms akimbo with your hands on your ↑hips so that your elbows point… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • akimbo — [15] Akimbo was borrowed from Old Norse. Its original English spelling (which occurs only once, in the Tale of Beryn 1400) was in kenebowe, which suggests a probable Old Norse precursor *i keng boginn (never actually discovered), meaning… …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

  • akimbo — [[t]əkɪ̱mboʊ[/t]] PHRASE: usu PHR after v If you stand arms akimbo or with arms akimbo, you stand with your hands on your hips and your elbows pointing outwards. [OLD FASHIONED] …   English dictionary

  • akimbo — adjective (with) arms akimbo with your hands on your hips hip 1 (1) so that your elbows point outwards: He stood with arms akimbo, glaring at the intruders.: see picture at arm …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

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