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
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; shanking; shanks
: 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
Synonyms
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
Ann Abel, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024
Expect fresh, hearty delicacies from the kitchen — lamb shank, scallops, a good portion of the sourdough Knut bread, named after Gustav’s grandfather, and homemade butter.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 15 Oct. 2024
Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 23 Oct. 2024
Still, Fritz approached the net on break point and shanked a forehand volley, and it was tied at 5-all.
—Adam Zagoria, Forbes, 8 Sep. 2024
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Noun
Other dishes come from Federici family recipes, including milanese con osso (a classic veal shank stew), a delicate vitello tonnato and the decadent layers of artichokes and potatoes in the filet millefeuille, a classic of Roman cuisine.
—Ann Abel, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024
Expect fresh, hearty delicacies from the kitchen — lamb shank, scallops, a good portion of the sourdough Knut bread, named after Gustav’s grandfather, and homemade butter.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 15 Oct. 2024
Verb
Past presidential guests were known for hitting the links, particularly Bill Clinton who, in November 1996, shanked a ball into the backyard of a home on the 17th hole of the Adobe course.
—Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 23 Oct. 2024
Still, Fritz approached the net on break point and shanked a forehand volley, and it was tied at 5-all.
—Adam Zagoria, Forbes, 8 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shank
Dictionary Entries Near shank
Cite this Entry
“Shank.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shank. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
shank
noun
: the part of the leg between the knee and the ankle in humans or a corresponding part in other vertebrates
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