hank

¹ American  

[hangk] / hæŋk /

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.

3. a coil, knot, or loop.

   a hank of hair.

4. 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.

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verb (used with object)

1. Nautical. to fasten (a sail) by means of hanks.

Hank ² American  

[hangk] / hæŋk /

noun

1. a male given name, form of Henry.

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hank British  

/ 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

3. 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

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verb

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

Other Word Forms

• unhanked adjective

Etymology

Origin of hank

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

Example Sentences

A work from 1935, “Rope and People, I,” combines mediums—an affixed hank of heavy rope is surrounded by painted images of distressed personages.

From The New Yorker

Sunshine twisted a hank of long blonde hair around her hand.

From Salon

As she demonstrated how the wool locks work, Skinner pulled a hank of hair and braided it with the dreadlock in a blanket braid, though in her own hair she used a simple twist.

From Washington Times

Then pivoting that side hank of hair back over his bald center lane and twisting and flipping it a bit so it jutted out in front just right.

From New York Times

The next morning, the police and Victoria’s parents found articles of the girl’s clothing and a bloody hank of hair on a road near a sand pit in Mahwah.

From New York Times

Related Words

• curve
• flourish