# bow-legged wi' brass

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/bow-legged-wi-brass
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Wealthy; having lots of money.

## Examples

- That man is bow-legged wi' brass.
- She acts like she is bow-legged wi' brass after her promotion.
- They are bow-legged wi' brass and own three private islands.
- Everyone knows the family is bow-legged wi' brass, so they can afford the most expensive house in town.
- After winning the national lottery, my quiet neighbor became bow-legged wi' brass and bought a fleet of luxury cars.
- You do not need to worry about the bill because the host is bow-legged wi' brass and loves to pay for everyone.
- Despite his humble appearance, the local merchant is famously bow-legged wi' brass, holding more wealth than the rest of the village combined.

## Origin

A northern English colloquialism, from the observation that the sheer weight of coins in one's pockets would cause the legs to buckle outwards. The expression implies a degree of wealth so substantial that it becomes a matter of physical deformity. The image relies upon the inconvenience of carrying one's fortune in metal, treating the resulting bow-legged gait as a symptom of excessive liquidity.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.