English Explanatory Dictionary

sheepshank

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A type of knot which is useful for shortening a rope or taking up slack without cutting it.
verb
  1. To shorten (a rope) using a sheepshank knot.

Pronunciation

/ˈʃiːpʃæŋk/ En-uk-sheepshank.oga /ˈʃipˌʃæŋk/

Word forms

sheepshank sheepshanks sheepshanking sheepshanked

Etymology

Originally sheepshank knot or sheepshanks knot, from sheep + shank (“part of the leg between the knee and ankle”); the connection between the knot and a sheep’s leg is unclear.

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