# Is there a word for folding your arms across your mid-section at waist level? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 13, 2017, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-folding-your-arms-across-your-mid-section-at-waist-level/801543 "2017-11-13T19:05:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-folding-your-arms-across-your-mid-section-at-waist-level/801543/1 "2017-11-13T19:05:42Z")
Like in this [picture](https://thumb7.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/580987/725963755/stock-photo-smiling-blonde-business-woman-posing-with-crossed-arms-and-looking-at-the-camera-over-white-725963755.jpg). The way [this](https://img.haikudeck.com/mi/ADCB3FBE-0210-4C55-A284-FD48095D9452.jpg)is called “arms akimbo.” ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-folding-your-arms-across-your-mid-section-at-waist-level/801543/2 "2017-11-13T19:14:48Z")
I would just call it folded arms. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-folding-your-arms-across-your-mid-section-at-waist-level/801543/3 "2017-11-13T19:36:19Z")
Crossed arms is how I have heard it. As in, “He stood there with crossed arms.” ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-folding-your-arms-across-your-mid-section-at-waist-level/801543/4 "2017-11-13T23:29:14Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Crossed arms is how I have heard it. As in, “He stood there with crossed arms.” There you go, that’s a good start in the “First line of the book I am going to write” thread. “He stood there with crossed arms, while all the others, arms akimbo, tried desperately to…” Dennis ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-folding-your-arms-across-your-mid-section-at-waist-level/801543/5 "2017-11-13T23:33:25Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Like in this [picture](https://thumb7.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/580987/725963755/stock-photo-smiling-blonde-business-woman-posing-with-crossed-arms-and-looking-at-the-camera-over-white-725963755.jpg). > > The way [this](https://img.haikudeck.com/mi/ADCB3FBE-0210-4C55-A284-FD48095D9452.jpg)is called “arms akimbo.” The first one is “penalty declined”, the second one is "offside:. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-folding-your-arms-across-your-mid-section-at-waist-level/801543/6 "2017-11-14T00:16:51Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > The first one is “penalty declined”, the second one is "offside:. > > Dennis Cute. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-folding-your-arms-across-your-mid-section-at-waist-level/801543/7 "2017-11-14T03:36:53Z")
Crossed arms at waist level gives off different signals that crossed arms at chest level. Waist level make some think of someone patiently waiting while chest level a slightly higher level of tension. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-folding-your-arms-across-your-mid-section-at-waist-level/801543/8 "2017-11-14T05:47:18Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > Crossed arms at waist level gives off different signals that crossed arms at chest level. Waist level make some think of someone patiently waiting while chest level a slightly higher level of tension. … Huh. It’s obvious now that I think about it, but it never really occurred to me that some people can cross their arms at different levels. As someone with 'uge… tracts of land, crossing my arms is only possible at chest level, unless I want to basically hoist the girls up on a shelf (which, no). ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-folding-your-arms-across-your-mid-section-at-waist-level/801543/9 "2017-11-14T07:24:30Z")
I always thought it meet you had something to hide, in body language lingo. Er…hugging yourself, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-folding-your-arms-across-your-mid-section-at-waist-level/801543/10 "2017-11-14T07:43:02Z")
Hugging yourself, the hands are pointed inside. Both hands hugging the body or one on the body and one on an elbow but… more around it than on it. Arms crossed, one hand on the inside curve of each opposite elbow. And yes, depending on specific topology, some people have a wider vertical range than others. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-folding-your-arms-across-your-mid-section-at-waist-level/801543/11 "2017-11-14T09:01:26Z")
It’s called ‘the crossin’ o’ the arms’ but it’s not as bad as ‘the tappin’ o’ the feets’ Waily! ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-folding-your-arms-across-your-mid-section-at-waist-level/801543/12 "2017-11-14T09:04:23Z")
The difference between folding your arms and hugging yourself is also a matter of posture. If your shoulders are bunched and chin down, you’re hugging yourself. If your shoulders are back and your spine is straight, you’re folding your arms.