crook one's elbow
Crook one's elbow is a US slang idiom meaning to drink alcohol — specifically to lift a glass to one's lips, the gesture of drinking.
Definitions
Crook one's elbow is a US slang idiom meaning to drink alcohol — specifically to lift a glass to one's lips, the gesture of drinking. The phrase is a metonym: the physical act of bending the elbow to bring a drink to the mouth represents the act of drinking itself. It carries a jocular, slightly coy register — a polite circumlocution for drinking that implies the activity is habitual. Used in informal speech and writing to suggest someone drinks regularly.
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(US, slang) To consume alcoholic drink.
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(obsolete, dialectal, East Midlands, Lancashire, Yorkshire) To bend; to make crooked.
- get the elbow65%
British slang meaning to be fired or dismissed from a job — the elbow here being the nudge that pushes you out the door. It's a slightly more colorful cousin of 'getting the boot' or 'getting the sack.' The phrase captures that unceremonious feeling of being shown the exit with minimal fanfare. It can also sometimes mean being rejected by a romantic partner, adding extra sting to an already unpleasant situation.