hank

Meanings

Noun

• A coil or loop of something, especially twine, yarn, or rope.
• A ring or shackle that secures a staysail to its stay and allows the sail to glide smoothly up and down.
• Doubt, difficulty.
• Mess, tangle.
• A rope or withe for fastening a gate.
• Hold; influence.
• A throw in which a wrestler turns his left side to his opponent, twines his left leg about his opponent's right leg from the inside, and throws him backward.

Verb

• To form into hanks.
• To fasten with a rope, as a gate.

Origin

• From Middle English hank, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse hǫnk, hank; akin to Old English hangian ("to hang"). First known use: 14th century.