mank

Meanings

Verb

• To mutilate.

Adjective

• Disgusting, repulsive.

Noun

• Something that is disgusting or manky.

Origin

• From Middle English manken, from Old English mancian, bemancian, of obscure origin. Cognate with Middle Low German mank ("lame, defective"), Dutch mank ("lame, defective"), and Middle High German manc ("lack, defect"). Perhaps from Latin mancus ("maimed, crippled, frail, incomplete"), from Proto-Indo-European *mank-, *menk-.
• Via Polari, from Italian mancare ("to be lacking"), from Latin mancus ("maimed"). See above.