hollow leg: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, Colloquial
Quick answer
What does “hollow leg” mean?
An idiom describing someone who can eat or drink large quantities without apparent effect, especially without gaining weight or becoming intoxicated.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An idiom describing someone who can eat or drink large quantities without apparent effect, especially without gaining weight or becoming intoxicated.
A metaphorical capacity for excessive consumption, typically of food or alcohol, implying an insatiable or bottomless appetite.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The idiom is understood and used in both varieties with no significant structural differences.
Connotations
Equally humorous and informal in both regions.
Frequency
Slightly more common in American English, but well-established in British English.
Grammar
How to Use “hollow leg” in a Sentence
[Subject] + have/has + a hollow leg.It's as if + [Subject] + have/has + a hollow leg.With + [possessive] + hollow leg, + [clause].Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might be used humorously in informal networking contexts, e.g., 'He has a hollow leg for client dinners.'
Academic
Not used.
Everyday
Common in social, family, or dining contexts to comment humorously on someone's eating/drinking habits.
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hollow leg”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hollow leg”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hollow leg”
- Using it literally. *'The table has a hollow leg.' (incorrect for the idiom).
- Incorrect article: *'have hollow leg' instead of 'have a hollow leg'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is exclusively an idiomatic expression. A literal hollow leg would refer to a pipe or a piece of furniture.
Yes, it is commonly used for both contexts, though often emphasised more with alcohol ('He can drink all night, he's got a hollow leg').
It is typically a humorous, mildly admiring observation, not an insult. However, context and tone are key.
Being a 'lightweight' (for alcohol) or a 'light/picky eater' (for food).
An idiom describing someone who can eat or drink large quantities without apparent effect, especially without gaining weight or becoming intoxicated.
Hollow leg is usually informal, colloquial in register.
Hollow leg: in British English it is pronounced /ˌhɒləʊ ˈlɛɡ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌhɑːloʊ ˈlɛɡ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “have a hollow leg”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a person whose leg is literally a hollow tube; all the food and drink they consume just falls down into it, never filling them up.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY IS A CONTAINER (with a defect that prevents filling). APPETITE/ CAPACITY IS A PHYSICAL SPACE.
Practice
Quiz
What does 'have a hollow leg' primarily imply?