shake one's elbow

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

To gamble with dice.

Register: archaic, slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

When a little after as I passed by (the publick Kitchen just before mentioned) I saw him shaking his Elbow over a Gaming Table.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “shake one's elbow” mean?

To gamble with dice.

Is “shake one's elbow” formal or informal?

shake one's elbow is generally archaic, slang.