ENGLISH
REFERENCE

rickle o' banes

idiom
Meaning

An emaciated person or animal.


Examples
SIMPLE

That poor stray dog is just a rickle o' banes.

CONTEXTUAL

After months of illness, the once strong man looked like a mere rickle o' banes.

COMPLEX

The famine had reduced the villagers to a pitiable state, leaving each one a shivering rickle o' banes struggling to survive the winter.

Anchors to
Related idioms3entries
  1. 01

    a boon and a bane

    Something that is both a benefit and an affliction.

  2. 02

    bane of someone's existence

    Someone or something that poses a significant problem to someone.

  3. 03

    boon and bane

    Something that is both a benefit and an affliction.

Last updated July 12, 2026