wishbone

n.

1. The forked bone anterior to the breastbone of most birds, formed by the fusion of the clavicles.
2. Football. An offensive formation in which the halfbacks are positioned behind and to the left and right of the fullback.

[From the superstition that when two people pull the bone apart a wish will be fulfilled for the person who retains the longer piece.]

Small, forked bone between the neck and breast of poultry, also known as merrythought.

n.a boom in two halves that curve outward around a sail and meet aft of it.

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.

The forked furcula bone which lies between the breast and neck of a chicken, or other fowl, is popularly called the wishbone or Merrythought—the latter being the much older term—named after the custom which has incorporated it since at least the 17th century. Two people take hold of either side of the bone, some insist they must use their little fingers only, and pull until it breaks. Whoever gets the largest piece can make a wish which, if not told to anyone, will come true. Nowadays mainly done by children, the custom is first described by John Aubrey in 1686, although the word ‘Merrythought’ appears in earlier 17th-century contexts (see OED).

Bibliography
The full bibliography list is available here.

• Aubrey, 1686: 92-3
• Opie and Tatem, 1989: 448
• N&Q 5s:11 (1879), 86

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - ønskeben, gaffelben

Nederlands (Dutch)
vorkbeen

Français (French)
n. - bréchet, (Naut) wishbone

Deutsch (German)
n. - Gabelbein

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (ορνιθ.) υοειδές οστούν, γιάντες

Italiano (Italian)
forcella, osso del petto di pollo

Português (Portuguese)
n. - jogador (m), osso de ave (m)

Русский (Russian)
вилочка, дужка (грудная кость птицы)

Español (Spanish)
n. - espoleta, hueso de la suerte

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - gaffelben (fågel)

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
叉骨, Y字型的东西, 如愿骨

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 叉骨, Y字型的東西, 許願骨

한국어 (Korean)
n. - (새의 가슴 뼈 앞에 있는 Y자형의) 창사골 , 창사골 모양의 것

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 叉骨, ウィッシュボーン

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) عظم الترقوة في الطيور‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮עצם הבריח (בעוף)‬

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wishbone dressing