Dictionary

hollow leg en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˌhɒl.əʊ ˈlɛɡ/ (UK)
• /ˌhɑ.loʊ ˈlɛɡ/ (US)
• (Australia) audio

Etymology

Humorously suggesting a further place where a person's body might store food once the stomach has filled up. Compare fill one's boots.

Meanings

1. Capacity to eat large quantities.
   • When I was young and growing a lot, and Mama couldn't feed me enough, she used to say I had a hollow leg. 1998, Barbara Kingsolver, The Bean Trees, page 228:
   • Fannie Jump Creighton had a hollow leg, as the saying goes, and Idabelle was so fat, if she tripped coming up the hill she'd roll all the way to the bottom. 1999, Rita Mae Brown, Six of One, page 137:
   • My brother, who had recently overtaken me in height and then racked up another six inches, ate to fill his hollow leg. My father did better than expected, too, eating two pieces of pie with our amaretto-flavored whipped cream. 2006, Amanda Boyden, Pretty Little Dirty, page 268:
2. Ability or tendency to drink large quantities of alcohol.
   • Where was Uncle? Gone for a stiff one? Again? His hollow leg, you know. Ducking in the john to throw up on his loafers? Probably that. What did he have tonight? Anything good? 2006, Steven Sidor, Bone Factory, page 89:
   • I didn't want his unhappiness or his pain, or his personality changes, but I wanted to drink as much, as often. I certainly wanted his hollow leg. 1985, Megan Moran, Lost Years: Confessions of a Woman Alcoholic, page 209:

Forms

Relateds

drink someone under the table · wooden leg

Translations (18)

de trinkfest (ability or tendency to drink large quantities of alcohol) · pl mocna głowa (ability or tendency to drink large quantities of alcohol) · fi kova viinapää (ability or tendency to drink large quantities of alcohol) · es tener gazuza (capacity to eat large quantities) · es tener carpanta (capacity to eat large quantities) · fr avoir la dalle en pente (ability or tendency to drink large quantities of alcohol) · pl drugi żołądek (capacity to eat large quantities) · es ser un tragaldabas (capacity to eat large quantities) · fi pohjaton maha (capacity to eat large quantities) · fr être un poivrot (ability or tendency to drink large quantities of alcohol) · fr être un boit-sans-soif (ability or tendency to drink large quantities of alcohol) · fr être une éponge (ability or tendency to drink large quantities of alcohol) · fr boire comme un Polonais (ability or tendency to drink large quantities of alcohol) · no dessertmage (capacity to eat large quantities) · de Trinkfestigkeit (ability or tendency to drink large quantities of alcohol) · fr boire comme un trou (ability or tendency to drink large quantities of alcohol) · fr avoir le bec salé (ability or tendency to drink large quantities of alcohol) · es beber como un pez (ability or tendency to drink large quantities of alcohol)