Dictionary

charley horse en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio
• /t͡ʃali hɔːs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /t͡ʃɑɹli hoɹs/ (General-American)

Etymology

Uncertain, although first attested in American baseball slang of the 1880s, possibly related to cramps suffered by the pitcher Charles Gardner Radbourn, who was nicknamed "Old Hoss", or possibly from period use of Charlie as a generic name for horses similar to Rover for dogs and Felix for cats.

Meanings

1. (US, idiomatic) Synonym of cramp, a painful involuntary muscle contraction, particularly a strong cramp in the torso, arms, or legs.
   • Several years ago, says the Chicago Tribune, Joe Quest, now of the Athletics, gave the name of ‘Charlie horse’ to a peculiar contraction and hardening of the muscles and tendons of the thigh, to which base ball players are especially liable from the sudden starting and stopping in chasing balls, as well as the frequent slides in base running. 1886 July 17, Boston Globe, page 5:
   • Of course there had been plenty of bruises—one mild case of charley-horse, several dislocated or sprained fingers, a wrenched ankle or two and any number of cuts and scrapes, […] 1914, Ralph Henry Barbour, Left End Edwards:
2. (informal) A punch in the thigh.
   • I knew to just keep my mouth shut about it — unless I wanted the word "dummy" to be followed by a charley horse. 2006, Joe L. Kincheloe, The Praeger Handbook of Urban Education, volume 1, page 324:

Forms

Deriveds

charley-horsed

Synonyms

cramp

Translations (14)

ja こむら返り (a muscle cramp, usually in the thigh or leg) · sv lårkaka (a muscle cramp, usually in the thigh or leg) · is harðsperrur (a muscle cramp, usually in the thigh or leg) · id tikus-tikus (a muscle cramp, usually in the thigh or leg) · nb lårhøne (a muscle cramp, usually in the thigh or leg) · fi jalkakramppi (a muscle cramp, usually in the thigh or leg) · yue 抽筋 (a muscle cramp, usually in the thigh or leg) · cmn 抽筋 (a muscle cramp, usually in the thigh or leg) · eo krurkramfo (a muscle cramp, usually in the thigh or leg) · eo gambkramfo (a muscle cramp, usually in the thigh or leg) · is þreytukrampi (a muscle cramp, usually in the thigh or leg) · fi suonenveto (a muscle cramp, usually in the thigh or leg) · fr jambe de bois (a muscle cramp, usually in the thigh or leg) · fr béquille (a muscle cramp, usually in the thigh or leg)

wikipedia: charley horse · wikipedia: Michael Quinion · wikipedia: Charles Gardner Radbourn