akimbo

Meanings

Adjective

• With a crook or bend; with the hand on the hip and elbow turned outward.

Adverb

• Into, in, or of the position where the arms are akimbo.
• Holding one weapon in each hand, especially in the case of firearms

Origin

• From Middle English in kene bowe ("in a keen bow”, i.e. “in a sharp bend or angle"), from in + keen + bowe. Alternately, possibly from Old Norse kengr ("bent") + bogi, compare Icelandic kengboginn ("bow-bent").