Cambridge Dictionaries online Cambridge Dictionaries online

The most popular online dictionary and thesaurus for learners of English

  

elbow

verb [T usually + adv/prep]
 
 
/ˈel.bəʊ/ US  /-boʊ/

Definition

disapproving to push someone rudely with your elbows so that you can move or have more space: He elbowed his way to the front of the crowd. They elbowed the onlookers aside.Pushing and shoving to hit someone with your elbow, sometimes as a sign to make them notice or remember something: She elbowed me in the ribs before I could say anything.Pushing and shoving
(Definition of elbow verb from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

Browse related topics

You are looking at an entry to do with Pushing and shoving, but you might be interested in these topics from the Movement and location topic area:

“elbow” in other dictionaries

Word of the Day

gesticulate

to make movements with your hands or arms, to express something or to emphasize what you are saying

Word of the Day

Blog

Read our blog about how the English language behaves.

Learn More

New Words

Find words and meanings that have just started to be used in English, and let us know what you think of them.

Learn More