ankle
nounverbcommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈæŋ.kəl//
- United Kingdom/[ˈæŋ.kʰəl] ~ [ˈæŋ.kʰl̩]/
- United Kingdom//ˈaŋ.kəl//
- United Kingdom/[ˈaŋ.kʰəl] ~ [ˈaŋ.kʰl̩]/
- Scotland//ˈaŋ.kəl//
The skeletal joint which connects the foot with the leg; the uppermost portion of the foot and lowermost portion of the leg, which contain this skeletal joint.
noun
- 1
The skeletal joint which connects the foot with the leg; the uppermost portion of the foot and lowermost portion of the leg, which contain this skeletal joint.
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eng- Proto-Germanic *-ulaz Proto-Germanic *ankulaz Proto-West Germanic *ankul Old English *ancol Middle English ancle English ankle From Middle English ankel, ancle, ankyll, from Old English ancol (compare anclēow (“ankle”) > Modern English anclef, ancliff, ancley), from Proto-West Germanic *ankul, from Proto-Germanic *ankulaz (“ankle”); akin to Icelandic ökkla, ökli, Danish and Swedish ankel, Dutch enkel, enklaauw, German Enkel, Old Norse akka, Old Frisian anckel, and perhaps Old High German encha, ancha (“thigh, shin”), from the Proto-Germanic *ankijǭ (“ankle, joint”). Compare with Sanskrit अङ्ग (aṅga, “limb”), अङ्गुरि (aṅguri, “finger”), Latin angulus. Compare haunch and Greek prefix ἀγκυλο- (ankulo-, “joint, crooked, bent”). Doublet of angulus and angle.
verb
- 1
slangTo walk.
Arvay’s tearful speech followed the usual pattern, and everybody said it was just fine. There had been nothing about the heathens of China, India and Africa wallowing around on the heavenly chairs, nor ankling up and down the golden streets.
1951, Anthony Buckeridge, Jennings’ Little Hut, London: Collins, 1973, Chapter 15, p. 178, Supposing we all ankled over to the huts […]
1966, P. G. Wodehouse, Plum Pie, London: Everyman, 2007, Chapter 6, p. 158, He ankled round, accordingly, to her house and his ring at the bell was answered by Wilberforce, her butler […]
After a while he got up and ankled his way down the corridor and met Penny coming out of the toilet.
- 2
To cyclically angle the foot at the ankle while pedaling, to maximize the amount of work applied to the pedal during each revolution.
Forms
- plural
- ankles
- past tense
- ankled
- past participle
- ankled
- present participle
- ankling
- third person singular
- ankles
ankle · The skeletal joint which connects the foot with the leg; the uppermost portion of the foot and lowermost portion of the leg, which contain this…
ann · An annate.Ann · A female given name from Hebrew.anna · Money (like "bucks" and "quid").