/el"boh/ , n.
1. the bend or joint of the human arm between upper arm and forearm.
2. the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped. See diag. under horse .
3. something bent like an elbow, as a sharp turn in a road or river, or a piece of pipe bent at an angle.
4. Archit. crossette.
5. Also called ell, el . a plumbing pipe or pipe connection having a right-angled bend.
6. at one's elbow , within easy reach; nearby: A virtue of the cottage is that the ocean is at your elbow.
7. bend, lift , or crook an elbow , Informal. to drink alcoholic beverages.
8. give the elbow , shove aside, get rid of, or reject.
9. out at the elbows ,
a. poorly dressed; shabby.
b. impoverished. Also, out at elbows .
10. rub elbows with , to mingle socially with; associate with: a resort where royalty rubs elbows with the merely rich.
11. up to one's elbows , very busy; engrossed: I am up to my elbows in answering mail. Also, up to the elbows .
v.t.
12. to push with or as if with the elbow; jostle.
13. to make (one's way) by so pushing.
v.i.
14. to elbow one's way: He elbowed through the crowd.
[ bef. 1000; ME elbowe, OE el ( n ) boga; c. MD elle ( n ) boghe, OHG el ( l ) inbogo (G Ellenbogen ), ON ol ( n ) bogi; lit., "forearm-bend." See ELL 2 , BOW 1 ]