sharp elbow

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A pointed bony part of the arm where it bends, often used to describe someone who pushes others aside in order to succeed.

   Grammar: Literal use is countable (a sharp elbow in my ribs); the figurative idiom usually has a plural: she has sharp elbows.

   Patterns

   • have sharp elbows
   • a sharp elbow in something

   Someone's sharp elbow caught me in the ribs as we squeezed onto the train.

   The boxer was warned for using a sharp elbow during the clinch.

   He leaned on the table with one sharp elbow, looking bored.

2. 2phraseidiomfigurativeinformal

   Having a pushy, competitive attitude that lets you get ahead of others, even by crowding or ignoring them.

   Grammar: Usually plural: use sharp elbows with have or need, as in you need sharp elbows to survive here.

   Patterns

   • have sharp elbows
   • use your sharp elbows

   You need sharp elbows to get noticed in a big law firm.

   She has sharp elbows, but she is fair with her team.

   The sale crowd had sharp elbows, and I came away with nothing.

Word forms

Common combinations

use your sharp elbows

At the buffet, people started using their sharp elbows to reach the cake.

a sharp elbow in the ribs

I got a sharp elbow in the ribs when the bus braked.

have sharp elbows

Anyone who rises that fast in politics must have sharp elbows.

develop sharp elbows

Growing up with five brothers, she developed sharp elbows early.

need sharp elbows

You need sharp elbows to get served at that crowded bar.

Synonyms and how they differ

pushy

It is a plain adjective for someone who pushes forward, while sharp elbows pictures a more physical, crowd-jostling kind of push.

ruthless

It is stronger and implies no concern for others, whereas sharp elbows can describe a firm but not cruel competitor.

aggressive

It is a general term and can be physical or verbal, but it lacks the picture of elbowing through a crowd.

cutthroat

It describes an entire environment as brutal, not just one person's manner.

Opposites

Word family

elbow noun

the joint in the middle of the arm

elbow verb

to push someone with your elbow

elbow room noun

enough space to move or work

sharp adjective

with a thin edge or point

elbowing noun

pushing with the elbows

Commonly confused: sharp elbow or sharp-tongued?

Practice

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