“Elbows Up” now included in the Oxford English Dictionary
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term is “used to indicate willingness to (aggressively) defend oneself or fight back. Frequently as a modifier.”
Author: Quinn Patrick
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s campaign slogan, “elbows up” has been cemented into the official lexicon after Oxford English Dictionary announced its inclusion.
Oxford University Press published its latest updated version with new terms and words on Tuesday.
The expression was first popularized by former NHL legend Gordie Howe, a reference to playing hockey in a tough and dirty fashion.
Carney and the Liberals adopted it last year in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s levying a suite of import tariffs against the country and his ongoing rhetoric about Canada becoming the 51st state.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term is “used to indicate willingness to (aggressively) defend oneself or fight back. Frequently as a modifier.”
Several other Canadian words and terms were also recently included, such as the curling word “cashspiel,” which means “a competition or tournament held for cash prizes,” was also included.
The term “point form,” which is described as a “chiefly Canadian,” expression that refers to “a format in which written information is presented in a list or series of concise statements.”
Additionally, the Cree term “kokum,” has been included, which means a grandmother or any elderly woman. It can also be used as a familiar title or form of address.
Two other “North American” terms were added as well - “grunt” which refers to “a dessert consisting of stewed fruit with a biscuit or dough topping, typically cooked on a stovetop rather than baked in an oven” and “kitty-corner,” meaning something “situated diagonally opposite someone or something.”