or -shanks, subs. phr. (colloquial).—1. Long, thin legs: hence (2) a tall, slender person; a LAMP-POST (q.v.). Also as adj. (or SPINDLY) = thin, slim (GROSE).
1570. The Marriage of Wit and Science [DODSLEY, Old Plays (HAZLITT), ii. 336]. But what, if she find fault with these SPINDLE-SHANKS.
1703. STEELE, The Tender Husband, i. 1. A Weezel-faced cross old Gentleman with SPINDLE-SHANKS.
1715. ADDISON, The Drummer, i. 1. This SPINDLE-SHANKED fellow.
1723. SWIFT, Mary the Cook-maid’s Letter (CHALMERS, English Poets, 1810, xi., 433). My master is a personable man, and not a SPINDLE-SHANKED hoddy-doddy!
1888. Popular Science Monthly, xxxvi. 556. The effect of all this may be easily imagined—a SPINDLY growth of rootless ideas.
