Meaning & use
elbow
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Meanings
nouncountable
The joint in the middle of your arm where it bends, connecting the upper arm and the forearm.
Grammar: Countable: one elbow, two elbows. Often used with 'my', 'your', etc.: 'my elbow hurts'.
Patterns
- my elbow
- elbow joint
- on your elbow
She fell and hurt her elbow.
He rested his elbows on the table.
The elbow is a hinge joint that allows the arm to bend.
verbtransitive
To push or shove someone with your elbow, especially to make room or gain an advantage.
Grammar: Takes an object: 'elbow someone'. Often followed by a preposition like 'through' or 'aside'.
Patterns
- elbow someone aside
- elbow your way through something
- elbow someone in something
He elbowed his way through the crowd to get to the front.
She elbowed me in the ribs to get my attention.
The players elbowed each other to get the ball.
Word forms
| plural | elbows |
|---|---|
| third person singular | elbows |
| past tense | elbowed |
| past participle | elbowed |
| -ing form | elbowing |
Common combinations
- elbow room
- The car was so crowded that there was no elbow room.
- tennis elbow
- He had to stop playing tennis because of tennis elbow.
- elbow grease
- This stain won't come out without some elbow grease.
- elbow your way through
- She elbowed her way through the busy market.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- elbowed adjective
- Having elbows of a specified kind, as in 'sharp-elbowed'.
Commonly confused: elbow or elbow vs. shoulder?
elbow vs elbow vs. shoulder
The shoulder is the joint where the arm meets the body; the elbow is the joint in the middle of the arm.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
The verb 'elbow' is often used in the phrase 'elbow your way through something', meaning to push through a crowd. 'Through' is the correct preposition.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “elbow”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.