funny bone

funny bone

1. A point on the elbow that causes a peculiar and painful tingling sensation when struck. This meaning of "funny bone" is thought to be a play on the homophones "humorous" and "humerus" (the arm bone that connects the elbow and shoulder). A: "What's wrong?" B: "Ugh, I just hit my funny bone against the wall."

2. A sense of humor. I'm starting to suspect that that dour fellow was born without a funny bone.

See also: bone, funny

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

funny bone

 and crazy bone

a spot near the elbow bone that is very sensitive to the touch. Ouch, I hit my funny bone. Effie bumped her crazy bone and made a horrendous face.

See also: bone, funny

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

funny bone

1. A point on the elbow where the ulnar nerve runs close to the surface and produces a sharp tingling sensation when knocked against the bone. For example, Ouch! I just banged my funny bone. The expression is a pun on humerus (pronounced the same as humorous), the Latin name for the long bone of the arm. [Early 1800s]

2. A sense of humor, as in That comedian really tickles my funny bone. This expression is derived from def. 1.

See also: bone, funny

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.