spindle leg
1
8.1
- noun
- /ˈspɪndəl lɛg/
- The colt had awkward spindle legs that seemed too long for its body.
Examples
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The model walked down the runway, her spindle legs accentuated by the dress.
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The athlete had a spindle leg that seemed almost fragile.
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With her spindle legs and delicate frame, people often mistook her for a ballet dancer.
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Her spindle legs made her look taller than she really was.
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The chair's elegant design included spindle legs that gave it a vintage charm.
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She admired the beautiful table with spindle legs that perfectly matched the room.
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The antique dresser had lovely spindle legs that added to its classic appeal.
Synonyms
Long thin legs that look delicate
How Thin
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is a straightforward noun–noun compound where 'spindle' (a slender, turned wood element) directly modifies 'leg' to indicate a limb that is thin and spindle-like. This simple compositional shape metaphor follows common modifier+head patterns and is cross-linguistically familiar, so a learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
The term spindle leg comes from the image of a spindle, a long, thin tool used to spin thread. Saying someone's leg is like a spindle makes you picture a very thin, long leg, so the term means 'a very thin, long leg'.