shank

/ʃæŋk/
verb
  1. To stab someone with a homemade knife or sharp object.
    • In the prison drama, one inmate tried to shank another in the yard.
    • The news reported that a prisoner was shanked during a fight.
    • He was caught planning to shank a rival gang member.
  2. To hit a golf ball poorly, striking it with the heel of the club so it goes off to the side.
    • She shanked her drive, and the ball rolled into a sand trap.
    • He shanked the ball into the woods on the first hole.
    • Even professional golfers sometimes shank a shot under pressure.
noun
  1. The part of the leg between the knee and the ankle.
    • She felt a sharp pain in her shank during the long run.
    • He rubbed his shank after bumping it on the coffee table.
    • The soccer player wore shin guards to protect his shanks.
  2. A cut of meat from the upper part of an animal's leg.
    • For dinner, they served braised veal shank with vegetables.
    • The chef slow-cooked the lamb shank until it was tender.
    • The recipe called for a beef shank to make rich broth.
  3. A straight, narrow part of a tool or object, such as the part of a key that goes into a lock or the part of a drill bit that fits into a chuck.
    • The drill bit's shank was worn from heavy use.
    • The shank of the screwdriver was too short to reach the bolt.
    • He inserted the key's shank into the lock and turned it.
  4. A homemade knife or sharp object, often used as a weapon in prison.
    • Prison officials regularly search for shanks made from plastic or metal.
    • The guard found a shank hidden in the inmate's mattress.
    • In the movie, the character crafted a shank from a toothbrush.
What does "shank" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean