hank

[ hangk ]
See synonyms for hank on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a skein, as of thread or yarn.

  2. a definite length of thread or yarn: A hank of cotton yarn measures 840 yards.

  1. a coil, knot, or loop: a hank of hair.

  2. Nautical. a ring, link, or shackle for securing the luff of a staysail or jib to its stay or the luff or head of a gaff sail to the mast or gaff.

verb (used with object)
  1. Nautical. to fasten (a sail) by means of hanks.

Origin of hank

1
1175–1225; Middle English <Old Norse hǫnk hank, coil, skein, clasp; akin to hang

Other words from hank

  • un·hanked, adjective

Other definitions for Hank (2 of 2)

Hank
[ hangk ]

noun
  1. a male given name, form of Henry.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for hank

hank

/ (hæŋk) /


noun
  1. a loop, coil, or skein, as of rope, wool, or yarn

  2. nautical a ringlike fitting that can be opened to admit a stay for attaching the luff of a sail

  1. a unit of measurement of cloth, yarn, etc, such as a length of 840 yards (767 m) of cotton or 560 yards (512 m) of worsted yarn

verb
  1. (tr) nautical to attach (a sail) to a stay by hanks

Origin of hank

1
C13: of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse hanka to coil, Swedish hank string

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012