1 hank | Definition of hank

hank

noun
\ ˈhaŋk How to pronounce hank (audio) \

Definition of hank

1 : coil, loop specifically : a coiled or looped bundle (as of yarn) usually containing a definite yardage
2 : any of a series of rings or clips by which a jib or staysail is attached to a stay

Examples of hank in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If a breeze is blowing, the air fills with the clamoring of jib hanks. Joe Kloc, Harper's magazine, "Lost at Sea," 10 June 2019 The Shaker-style peg rack could hold hanks of yarn. Christine Pittel, House Beautiful, "An Interview with David Rockwell, the Architect Behind the 2012 Designer Visions Apartment," 1 Aug. 2012 Open the other days of the week, the Shaker Store sells hanks of yarn, Shaker seeds, herbal teas, and Shaker brooms. Patricia Harris And David Lyon, BostonGlobe.com, "Goin’ up the country: The rustic appeal of Maine’s Route 26," 21 June 2018 One photograph from the era shows a woman standing in a village as two men forcibly restrain her wrists; a third man grabs a hank of her blonde hair, his scissors poised to hack it away. Ann Mah, Time, "This Picture Tells a Tragic Story of What Happened to Women After D-Day," 6 June 2018 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. David Stout, New York Times, "Edgar Smith, Killer Who Duped William F. Buckley, Dies at 83," 24 Sep. 2017 By the time he’s done, the legendary Viennese doktor has been reduced to not much more than a rag, a bone, and a hank of hair. Laura Miller, Slate Magazine, "Cutting ’Em Down to Size," 5 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hank.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of hank

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for hank

Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse hǫnk hank; akin to Old English hangian to hang

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More Definitions for hank

hank

noun

English Language Learners Definition of hank

: an amount of yarn, thread, etc., that has been wound into a large loop or loose ball

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More from Merriam-Webster on hank

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with hank

Spanish Central: Translation of hank

Nglish: Translation of hank for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hank