bandy legs
- noun
- /ˈbændi lɛɡz/
- Archaic
:
piernas arqueadas
- The old cowboy's bandy legs were a testament to years spent riding horses.
Examples
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She developed bandy legs as a result of a vitamin deficiency.
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As a child, he was teased because of his bandy legs.
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The horse had bandy legs that made it look unique.
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Many athletes with bandy legs excel in certain sports.
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As a child, he was teased because of his bandy legs.
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The old cowboy's bandy legs were a testament to years spent riding horses.
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Many athletes with bandy legs excel in certain sports.
Synonyms
Legs that curve outward at the knees so the knees stay apart when the feet are together
Legs that curve outward at the knees so the feet and ankles touch while the knees are apart
How Bowed
- Archaic
1
4.2
Surface Forms
Morphology
The adjective 'bandy' specifies a particular leg posture (knees set wide apart), so when combined with 'legs' the overall meaning 'legs that curve outward at the knees' is directly and compositionally derivable from the constituents. This simple adjective + noun composition is a transparent, cross-linguistically common descriptive pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the intended meaning.
Etymology
The phrase bandy legs may come from an old word bandy meaning 'bent' or 'bowed'. Imagine legs curving outward like a bow, and you see why it means 'legs that curve outward at the knees'.