Forms: 1 an-, oncleow, 2 oncleou, 4 anclowe, ankel, 3–5 anclee, 5 ankyl(le, 6–7 anckle, 3– ancle, 7– ankle, (dial. anclef, -cliff, ancley). [Two forms: (1) OE. oncléow (cf. OFris. onklef, Du. anklaauw, enklaauw, rare OHG. anchlao), whence 14th c. anclee, and mod. dial. forms; (2) mod. ankle, ancle, earlier ankyl, ankel (= OFris. ankel, Du. enkel, ON. ökkla for *ankula, Dan. and Sw. ankel, OHG. anchala, anchal, enchil, MHG., mod.G. enkel), not recorded in OE. and prob. taken in ME. from Norse. The latter is the original Teut. form, from root ank-, L. ang-, to bend, crook; cf. L. angulus. The first form is derived from this, but is not completely explained: the Du. anklaauw appears to assimilate the ending to klaauw claw, the OE. ancléow may be a weakened form of the same, or the ending may be assimilated to that of cnéow knee (-éow being a formative, cf. láréow teacher)].
1. The joint that connects the foot with the leg; the slender part of the leg between this joint and the calf.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., II. 116. Læt þonne blod under ancleow.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gloss., 299. Talus, ancléow.
c. 1150. in Wright, Voc., 87/1. Talus, oncleou.
a. 1300. W. de Biblesworth, ibid., 148. Kyvil, ancle [v.r. in Rel. Ant., II. 79 Keuil, ankel].
c. 1330. Arth. & Merl., 5206. In blod he stode … into the Anclowe.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt’s T., 802. Vp to the anclee [v.r. anclees, ancle–3, anches] foghte they in hir blood.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., Ankyl, Cavilla, Verticillum.
1535. Coverdale, Ezek. xlvii. 3. He brought me thorow ye water, euen to the ancles.
1541. R. Copland, Guydon’s Quest. Cyrurg. The lesser pyt bone … with the other pyt bone makynge the outwarde ancle.
1602. Shaks., Ham., II. i. 80. His stockings foul’d, Vngartred, and downe giued to his Anckle.
1621. Sanderson, 4 Serm., Ad Pop. (1681), 214. It is never well when the Cobbler looketh above the Ankle.
a. 1732. Gay, Wks., I. 144. Above her ancle rose the chalky clay.
1812. Henry, Camp. agst. Quebec, 21. Without other accident than the spraining of Lieutenant Steele’s ancle.
a. 1821. Keats, Poet. Wks. (1861), 203. The neatness Of thine ankle lightly turned.
1875. Lubbock, Orig. Civilis., ii. 56. Hanging things round their necks, arms and ancles.
[1875. Parish, Sussex Dial., 13. Ancley, ancliff: in East Sussex, ‘I have put out my ancliff-bone’ = I have sprained my ancle.
1875. Gl. Lanc. Dial., 10. ‘Yore Jack’s knockt his anclef out wi’ jumpin.’
1881. Mrs. Parker, Oxfordsh. Gl., 74. Ankley.]
2. transf.
1866. Thoreau, Yankee in Can., i. 6. The sugar maple is remarkable for its clean ankle.
3. Comb. and attrib., as ankle-bone, -joint, -vein; also ankle-bands, straps passing round the ankles to fasten low shoes or sandals; ankle-deep a. (adv.), so deep as to cover the ankles; ankle-gear, anything worn round the ankles; ankle-high a. (adv.), so high as to cover the ankles; ankle-jack, a jack-boot reaching above the ankles (hence ankle-jacked a.); ankle-rings, rings worn as ornaments round the ankles; ankle-straps (= ankle-bands); also low shoes secured by such straps.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. lvi. (1495), 171. The hele is bounde to the ancle bone wyth nesshe bondes.
1526. Tindale, Acts iii. 7. His fete and ancle-bones receaued strength. [So in 1611.]
1836. Todd, Cycl. Anat. & Phys., I. 151/1. The ankle-joint, or tibio-tarsal articulation.
1615. Crooke, Body of Man, 734. The Saphena or anckle vaine.
1863. Atkinson, Whitby Gloss., Ankle-bands, strings for the sandals; leathern straps for the shoes.
1764. Harmer, Round Towers, i. xii. 35. The water was ancle-deep, and in some places half way up the leg.
1784. Cowper, Task, I. 270. Hence, ancle deep in moss and flow’ry thyme, We mount again.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. § 18. 133. We stood ankle-deep in snow.
1855. Singleton, Virgil, I. 363. He first Binds to his feet his ancle-gear of gold.
1757. Lisle, Husb., 425. The sedgy grass comes up, and grows ancle-high.
1848. Dickens, Dombey (1870), I. xv. 313. He changed his shoes and put on an unparalleled pair of ankle-jacks.
1874. Hardy, Madding Crowd, I. viii. 86. The laced-up shoes called ankle-jacks.
1861. Sala, Tw. round Clock, 203. Its red ’kerchiefed, corduroyed, and ankle-jacked proprietor.
1850. Layard, Nineveh, iv. 67. The silver ankle-rings of his favorite wife.
