Huckles

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. To perform the act of hopping or jumping with quick, light movements; to rise or bounce energetically from the ground; to skip or leap about playfully
2. To make small, lively jumps or bounds; to move briskly and lightly by springing off surfaces; to exhibit energetic upward motions in a repetitive manner
3. To spring or bounce repeatedly with a lively gait; to propel oneself upward in small, rapid movements; to engage in brisk, repeated leaps or hops

Etymology: "Huckles" is the plural of "huckle," a noun meaning the hip joint or the hip itself. The word is built from "huck," which descends from Middle English "hoke," meaning "hook," and the bone takes its name from its rounded shape, the ball of the hip joint nested in a socket much like a hook's curve. The "-le" ending is a diminutive suffix, so "huckle" is a small hook-like part, a little knob of bone. The noun's verb sense, to hop about lightly, is a separate matter and the source does not connect it to the hip, so its history is not traced here. Only the plural and its noun origin are established. The neighbouring English word "hook" shares the same root, which is why the bone and the fishing tool turn out to be relatives.

Synonyms: heaves, lifts, pulls

Antonyms: drops, lowers