in kenebowe

Akimbo — arms bent with hands on hips — first appeared in Middle English around 1400 as in kenebowe, meaning 'in a sharp bend' or 'at a crooked angle.' The exact origin is hotly disputed. Some scholars trace it to Old Norse, others to a Middle English compound meaning 'keen bow' (sharp bend).

The posture itself is universal and unmistakable: hands on hips, elbows jutting out, occupying maximum space. It signals confidence, defiance, impatience, or authority. Superman stands akimbo. So does your mother when she's angry.

The word evolved through various spellings — a kenbow, on kenbow, a-kimbow — before settling into its modern form by the 18th century. The 'a-' prefix (a remnant of 'in' or 'on') gives it an archaic, almost musical quality.

Akimbo has recently gained a second life in video game culture, where 'akimbo' means dual-wielding pistols — one in each hand, arms spread wide. The word for a posture of domestic authority became a term for double-fisted firepower.