Hank

/hæŋk/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A coil or skein of yarn or thread.

She bought a hank of wool to knit a sweater.

A loop or knot found in some forms of thread or cord.

He had to untangle the hank of fishing line before casting out.

verb

To wind thread or yarn into hanks.

The workers hanked the cotton to prepare it for sale.

Middle English possibly from Old Norse 'hǫk' meaning a hook, referring to the way thread is wound.

hankering for something

A strong desire for something.

hank's up

To be excited or energized about something.

skein

A length of thread or yarn wound in a loose coil.

thread

A long, thin strand of cotton, wool, or other fibers.

To hank out

They all hanked out to the beach for a fun day.

Hanky panky

There was some hanky panky going on at the party.