"She's all arms and legs" meaning

[francyy]

Morning all,

Yesterday we were at a child's party and one of the mums saw my DD who is 3 and said "she's all arms and legs" and another mum said " oh yes I thought that too"

I was wondering what does that actually mean?

We live in North England (if that helps)

Tall and slim.

Yep, tall and slim. My Scottish Nanny used to describe people as this.

Long limbs, a bit gangly

I think of it as a neutral term, not a compliment per se but definitely not a criticism either

I just assume it’s part of normal growth spurts in kids, they go wider and chubbier and suddenly get stretched out like chewing gum.

Yes, tall and slim. Dd1 could be described like this, with long legs especially.

It's not an insult if that is what you are wondering. It's usually when kids put on a growth spurt and their arms and legs are longer than the trunk for a while. It sometimes coincides with clumsiness due to said growth spurt.

Another word is gangly.

Thank you everyone!!!! It does make sense. I do think she's quite tall for her age 🙈
Her legs are very long. Bless her

I guess someone like this?

Just tall and slim.

This was my DD3 at 3.
She is now 17, 5ft8 with graceful long arms and legs. Doesn't come from me!

Yes , long arms , long legs .
Maybe a bit gangly and unco-ordinated like a foal when it starts to walk .

My DD is like this , she did well at gymnastics

This was, and perhaps is, me.
I was a tall child, skinny with long arms and long legs. I always thought things would even out a bit. I am still waiting.

Tall and slim, long limbed.
Its kind of affectionate

Me too!

I'm stupidly limb-y! It's a running joke with my shoulder surgeon that I can't do the tests in the usual place he does them, else I'll smack the curtain rail above us. 🤣

I'd have preferred to be more in proportion, but here we are!

Long legs/arms-probably a bit gangly!

I am useful for reaching for things.

I often describe DD as all arms and legs, by which I mean she’s tall and slim but also a bit clumsy – her limbs often seem like they’re slightly out of her control!

It's quite endearing so don't be thinking it'd an insult or they are passing comment at all.

Several extra limbs and no torso.

Like the spider-baby in father ted.

Tall and gangly, not in an insulting way though. Like Bambi learning to walk.

It’s often said of kids where I’m from (up north) and whilst it’s not an outright compliment, it is usually said warmly - and it’s certainly not negative. It’s a bit like when babies are in that stage of chubby and people comment on that.

Long limbs and probably also skinny.

My Dad said that my DD (when she was a baby) was "sturdy" which was absolutely 100% not an insult .
DD was born 8lb 7.5oz and 21" long so a good size . She was sitting on her grandads lap , sitting upright and balanced . "Sturdy" .
In my Dads day a baby that was frail was sickly .

DD is now 5'8" and size 6-8 .
Be aware all these leggy young ladies , their jeans are ££

I think it just means gangly! Neither good for bad, equivalent of saying "hasn't she got a lot of hair on her head!".

It's those points where kids have had growth spurts, so their arms and legs have grown but their nervous system haven't quite caught up. So they end up all gangly for a while