Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Having legs that curve outward at the knees: Describes a physical condition where the legs are bowed, meaning the knees are apart when the ankles are together.

Usage

• The term "bandy-legged" is used to describe a person's or animal's leg structure. It is a descriptive, often informal adjective. It can be used in both neutral medical/descriptive contexts and, depending on tone, in informal or potentially impolite remarks about appearance.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • The old cowboy walked with a distinctive, bandy-legged gait.
  • Some breeds of dogs, like bulldogs, are naturally bandy-legged.

Advanced Usage

• "to be bandy-legged": The most common construction.
  • After years in the saddle, he had become quite bandy-legged.

Variants and Related Words

• Bandy legs (noun phrase): The condition of having outwardly curved legs.
  • He suffered from bandy legs as a child.
• Bow-legged (adjective): A common synonym with the same meaning.

Synonyms

• Bow-legged: Having legs that curve outward at the knees.
• Bowed: (Of legs) curved outward.

Antonyms

• Knock-kneed: Having legs that curve inward at the knees.

Related Idioms/Phrases

• While not a phrasal verb, the term can appear in descriptive idioms like "bandy-legged as a cowboy" to evoke a specific image.
  • He stood, bandy-legged as a cowboy, leaning against the fence.

Adjective

1. have legs that curve outward at the knees