pulley bone
Southern US regional term for the furcula — the wishbone of a chicken or other bird — most commonly used in the tradition of two people each grabbing an end and pulling it apart, with the person who ends up with the larger piece supposedly granted a wish.
Definitions
Southern US regional term for the furcula — the wishbone of a chicken or other bird — most commonly used in the tradition of two people each grabbing an end and pulling it apart, with the person who ends up with the larger piece supposedly granted a wish. While the standard American English term is 'wishbone,' pulley-bone is deeply ingrained in Southern speech and reflects the older, more mechanical framing of the bone's Y-shaped fork. The name comes from the pulling action rather than the wishing ritual.
Grandma always saved the pulley-bone after Sunday dinner and let the youngest grandkid choose their pulling partner.
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(US) The furcula; wishbone.
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