shank

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: the part of the leg between the knee and the ankle in humans or the corresponding part in various other vertebrates
b
: leg
c
: a cut of beef, veal, mutton, or lamb from the upper or the lower part of the leg : shin see beef illustration
2
: a straight narrow usually essential part of an object: such as
a
: the straight part of a nail or pin
b
: a straight part of a plant : stem, stalk
c
: the part of an anchor between the ring and the crown see anchor illustration
d
: the part of a fishhook between the eye and the bend
e
: the part of a key between the handle and the bit
f
: the stem of a tobacco pipe or the part between the stem and the bowl
h(1)
: the narrow part of the sole of a shoe beneath the instep
(2)
3
: a part of an object by which it can be attached: such as
a(1)
: a projection on the back of a solid button
(2)
: a short stem of thread that holds a sewn button away from the cloth
b
: the end (as of a drill bit) that is gripped in a chuck
4
a
: the latter part of a period of time
b
: the early or main part of a period of time
11 p.m. on the East coast is merely the shank of the evening on the West coast
5
slang : an often homemade knife
shanked adjective

shank

2 of 2

verb

shanked; shanking; shanks

transitive verb

: to hit (a golf ball or shot) with the extreme heel of the club so that the ball goes off in an unintended direction
also : to kick (a football) in an unintended direction

Examples of shank in a Sentence

Noun the shank of a drill bit slashed at the prison guard with a shank he had secretly made from a scrap of metal
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Lamb shanks, shoulder, and leg (bone-in or boneless) are best for braising or slow-cooking, whereas quick-cooking lamb chops can be seared, roasted, or grilled. Zoe Denenberg, Bon Appétit, 29 Feb. 2024 That shank was a shocker, and perhaps more concerning was Woods saying his back was acting up int the final hour, leading to the shank. Doug Ferguson, USA TODAY, 16 Feb. 2024 In some cases, the versions that our test cooks came up with improved upon the versions that my parents made, like my dad’s Taste of Szechuan beef shank. Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2024 The three most common cuts of ham are the butt end, ham shank, and center slice. Patricia S York, Southern Living, 27 Jan. 2024 Order up homemade pasta, veal shank served over a creamy champagne risotto, and Chilean sea bass—all customer favorites—at Frantellino, the fifth-restaurant on this list located in Coral Gables, Florida. Christianna Silva, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Jan. 2024 Shank The shank is the lower half of the leg above the hock and is the cut most associated with baked ham. Patricia S York, Southern Living, 27 Jan. 2024 Secure the dumbbell eyes to the top of the shank with a series of figure-8 wraps. Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 17 Jan. 2024 Rookie kicker Jake Moody had the shanks last game, missing wide right on a 38-yard field-goal attempt, then missing further right on a point-after try (after making his first 60 career PATs). Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2024
Verb
In particular, Woods shanked his second shot on No. 18, one that drew a chuckle from the all-time great when asked about it later. Jay Paris, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024 The Dolphins then lucked out when the Colts’ Mike Vanderjagt shanked a 49-yard field-goal attempt. Steve Svekis, Sun Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2024 The punt was shanked out of bounds and traveled 13 yards from the 17 to the 30. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 3 Dec. 2023 Anyway, even if he doesn’t get shanked or trafficked to D Block, the highly literate and bespectacled Butler does run the risk of being pretentious and condescending. Spin Staff, SPIN, 15 Dec. 2023 The Razorbacks allowed a 46-yard kickoff return, Max Fletcher shanked a 10-yard punt and had another go out of bounds for 28 yards, and Cam Little missed a 49-yard field goal attempt. Bob Holt, Arkansas Online, 18 Sep. 2023 After Gilmore shanks a drive into the water and the pair drop to dead last, Barker can’t contain his disgust and insults Gilmore, who responds with a brutal right hook that knocks Barker to the ground. Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 28 Aug. 2023 And at the start of the second half, a Rodman cross landed right on the foot of midfielder Linsey Horan, who shanked the opportunity. Sean Gregory, Time, 22 July 2023 Give me the basketball star who shanks crucial free throws and the goaltender in hockey who slips and lets the winning slap shot whir by. Kurt Streeter, New York Times, 6 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shank.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English shanke, from Old English scanca; akin to Old Norse skakkr crooked, Greek skazein to limp

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shank was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near shank

Cite this Entry

“Shank.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shank. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

shank

noun
ˈshaŋk
1
a
: the part of the leg between the knee and the ankle in human beings or a similar part in various other vertebrates
b
: a cut of meat (as beef or lamb) from usually the upper part of a leg
2
a
: the straight shaft (as of a nail, pin, or fishhook)
b
: the narrow part of the sole of a shoe beneath the instep
3
: a part of a tool that connects the acting part with a part by which it is held or moved
the shank of a drill bit
the shank of a key
4
: a part of something by which it can be attached: as
a
: a part that sticks out on the back of a solid button
b
: a short stem of thread that holds a sewn button away from the cloth
shanked
ˈshaŋ(k)t
adjective

Medical Definition

shank

noun
: the part of the leg between the knee and the ankle in humans or a corresponding part in other vertebrates

More from Merriam-Webster on shank

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