hank

name

1. A diminutive of the male given name Henry.
2. A diminutive of the male given name Hankin (a medieval form of John).

noun

Etymology: From Middle English hank, of Scandinavian/North Germanic origin; akin to Old Norse hǫnk (compare haki (“something bent”)), related to Proto-Germanic *hakô (“hook”). Akin to Old English hangian (“to hang”). First known use: 14th century.

1. A coil or loop of something, especially twine, yarn, or rope.

   “1681, E.R., The Experienced Farrier, London, p. 307, […] the best thing of all to stop bleeding at the Nose, is to take a Hank of Coventry-blew thread, and hang it cross a stick, and set one end of it on fire […] and let him receive the smoak up his Nostrils […]”

   “Cotton twist is spun here of 130 hanks to the pound. Each hank is 840 yards long […]”

2. A ring or shackle that secures a staysail to its stay and allows the sail to glide smoothly up and down.
3. Doubt, difficulty.
4. Mess, tangle.
5. A rope or withe for fastening a gate.
6. Hold; influence.

   “Seldom doth a man fall into a Preſumptuous Sin, but vvhere the Devil hath got ſuch a hanke over him, […]”

7. A throw in which a wrestler turns his left side to his opponent, twines his left leg about his opponent's right leg from the inside, and throws him backward.

verb

Etymology: From Middle English hank, of Scandinavian/North Germanic origin; akin to Old Norse hǫnk (compare haki (“something bent”)), related to Proto-Germanic *hakô (“hook”). Akin to Old English hangian (“to hang”). First known use: 14th century.

1. To form into hanks.
2. To fasten with a rope, as a gate.

   “where stood a fyne howse newly built and vaulted, over wheron her armes was sett and hanked with tapestrye”