elbow

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Technical

n. a sharp turn or bend in something, like a pipe or a wall.

n. an angular or jointed part of a structure, such as a short pipe fitting used to change direction.

“The plumber replaced the leaking elbow under the kitchen sink.”

“The ventilation system required a custom-made elbow to navigate the narrow space between the ceiling joists.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to push people with your elbows to get past them in a crowd.

v. to push or jostle others using the elbows, typically to force a passage through a crowded area.

“She had to elbow her way through the crowd to reach the train.”

“Commuters frequently elbowed past one another in their desperate rush to board the final express train of the evening.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Sports

v. to strike someone using your elbow.

v. to deliver a blow with the elbow, often used in the context of contact sports or physical altercations.

“The player was sent off after he accidentally elbowed the defender.”

“The referee issued a yellow card after the striker elbowed his opponent while competing for a header in the penalty area.”

C1 · Advanced Informal

v. to force someone out of a job or a position so someone else can take it.

v. to dismiss or displace someone from a position or role, often to make room for a preferred alternative.

“He felt he was being elbowed out of the project by the new manager.”

“Several senior partners were effectively elbowed out of the firm following the aggressive merger last spring.”