charley horse

[ chahr-lee ]

noun

1. a painful, involuntary cramp of an arm or leg muscle resulting from excessive muscular strain or a blow.

charley horse

/ ˈtʃɑːlɪ /

noun

1. informal.
   muscle stiffness or cramp following strenuous athletic exercise

Word History and Origins

Origin of charley horse¹

First recorded in 1885–90; originally baseball slang

Word History and Origins

Origin of charley horse¹

C19: of uncertain origin

Idioms and Phrases

Cramp or stiffness in a muscle, most often in the thigh, as in After working in the garden I frequently get a bad charley horse . First used in the 1880s among baseball players, the term was soon extended to more general use. Its true origin is disputed. Among the more likely theories proposed is that it alludes to the name of either a horse or an afflicted ball player who limped like one of the elderly draft horses formerly employed to drag the infield.

Example Sentences

Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent said after the game that Werenski was dealing with a charley horse and that the injury was “not long term.”

From Seattle Times

Once she yells about her charley horse what might have been a saucy turn degrades into an awkward limb pile because that is Miranda's avocation.

From Salon

So she does, she really does, but a charley horse, and the general discomfort she can’t overcome, stops her.

From New York Times

The Adam’s apple or the charley horse or the butterflies in the stomach.

From Literature

Campbell said Hutchinson was dealing with a charley horse.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• ache
• constipation
• contraction
• convulsion
• pain
• stiffness
• twinge