adverb / adjective
akimbo
uh-KIM-boh/ʌkˈɪmbˌoʊ/
With limbs bent outward, especially with hands on hips and elbows pointing out.
She stands with arms akimbo, her hands resting on her hips.
Etymology
The early expression in kenebowe described this arms-bent posture, but its origin is unknown. A connection with a phrase meaning “at a sharp angle” is one suggested explanation for the outward-pointing elbows.
In context
with your hands on your hips also known as arms akimbo is a very common gesture the elbows bent outward
More examples
- He posed akimbo beside the finished garden wall.
- The dancer ended with one arm akimbo.
- The exhausted runner lay on the grass with legs akimbo.
Similar words
- splayed
- Suggests limbs spread outward without necessarily being bent.
- arms on hips
- Specifies the most familiar arm position described by akimbo.