Dictionary

huckle en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈhʌkəl/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From huck (from Middle English hoke (“hook”), hokebone, probably so called because of its round shape) + -le. See also hook.

Meanings

1. (obsolete) The hip, the haunch.
   • Next, the hand may be laid upon his huckle-bones, and if the parts there likewise feel firm, round, and plump, it may be safely concluded that he is well fed both externally and internally, — that is, both in flesh and tallow. 1837, John French Burke, British husbandry: exhibiting the farming practice, page 392:
   • […] which approves a quick gathering up of his legs withoute pain, his huckle bones round and hidden, […] 1676, A Way to Get Wealth, Book I, page 5:
   • At what time Don Quixote, who had very much bruis'd his Huckle-bone, with a Hipshot grace approaching the Lady fell upon his Knees […] 1687, The History of the Most Renowned Don Quixote of Mancha and His Trusty Squire (translated by JP), Book II, page 433
2. A bunch or part projecting like the hip.
3. (Geordie, derogatory) A homosexual man.
   • Sorry ! Only into birds. Why not get yourself along to the SOL. Plenty of huckles there. 2003 December 12, Finchy [username], “Re: Gay bars / Meatloaf - Re: SAFC - Hartlepool”, in alt.sports.soccer.sunderland (Usenet):
   • When moving into our present dwelling some 6 months ago..the puchase^([sic]) of a new bed was of primary importance.The puchase^([sic]) was completed by a right huckle who didn`t realise the importance of the "squeek"^([sic]) factor in the purchase of such an item. 2001 March 29, denislindridge [username], “Promotion”, in uk.sport.horseracing (Usenet):
   • He’s not! He can’t be! There's never been a huckle in the Osbourne family, and we can trace our lineage all the way back to the Second World War. 2002, “Bridge Over Troubled Waters”, in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet:

Forms

Deriveds

huckle bone

huckle en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈhʌkəl/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From huck (from Middle English hoke (“hook”), hokebone, probably so called because of its round shape) + -le. See also hook.

Meanings

1. (Scotland) To apprehend or arrest.
   • He was awakened by a couple of burly police officers and huckled out to a waiting van. 2013, Michael Munro, The Crack: The Best of Glasgow Humour:
   • Then one day when I was at school, police with motorbike helmets came to the door with a big red battering ram and dragged Dad out of his bed while he was sleeping off a massive booze binge and huckled him downtown to read him his rights, throw the damn book at him and charge him for 'aggravated armed robbery'. 2014, Brian Conaghan, When Mr Dog Bites:
   • I could huckle your right now for what you've got in that top drawer. 2022, Liam McIlvanney, The Heretic, page 282:

Forms