akimbo

[ uh-kim-boh ]

adjective

1. with hand on hip and elbow bent outward:

   to stand with arms akimbo.

2. (of limbs) splayed out in an awkward or ungainly manner:

   After the strenuous hike, she sat on the floor with her legs akimbo.

3. (of limbs) fully extended in opposite directions:

   The dancer warmed up with his arms and legs stretched akimbo.

4. to one side; askew; awry: He woke up from his nap, hair akimbo.

   They wore their hats akimbo.

   He woke up from his nap, hair akimbo.

akimbo

/ əˈkɪmbəʊ /

adjective

1. arms akimbo or with arms akimbo
   with hands on hips and elbows projecting outwards

Word History and Origins

Origin of akimbo¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English in kenebowe, from unattested Old Norse i keng boginn “bent into a crook” ( i “in,” keng, accusative of kengr “hook,” boginn, past participle of bjūga “to bend”)

Word History and Origins

Origin of akimbo¹

C15 in kenebowe, literally: in keen bow, that is, in a sharp curve

Example Sentences

A beat kicks in, and three women stand arms akimbo, bouncing their hips like a Motown girl group.

From New York Times

The comedian then proceeds to hop ecstatically across the stage with one leg akimbo: “That song was penned with a toucan’s beak dipped in ink while riding a zebra side-saddle.”

From Los Angeles Times

But the visible satisfaction of the model’s pose — arm akimbo, hand jauntily on hip, bottom thrust out with confidence — also marks a forceful break with the passivity of the female nude.

From New York Times

The flair stems largely from his figure’s tilted bowler hat and its somewhat akimbo power pose.

From New York Times

The facing page, mostly blank, features a small, stenciled figure of a woman, arms and legs akimbo and repeated several times, as if falling through the empty sheet’s void.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• jagged