Shank

Source : Wright, Joseph English Dialect Dictionary web : https://eddonline4-proj.uibk.ac.at/edd/main.html

SHANK, sb.1 and v. Var. dial. uses in Sc. Irel. and Eng. Also written schank Sc. (Jam.); and in form shenk Yks. [ʃaŋk, ʃæŋk.] 1. sb. In comb. (1) Auld Shanks, death; (2) Death-shank, a thin leg, as that of a dead person; (3) Shank-bone, a leg, the shin-bone; (4) Shanks' Galloway, (5) Shanks' horse, one's own legs; afoot; (6) Shanks' mare, to travel by foot; to walk; (7) Shank(s' nag or Shank(s' naigie, (a) see (5); (b) see (6); (8) Shanks' noddy, (9) Shanks' pair, see (5); (10) Shank-weary, tired with walking. (1) Gall. Auld Shanks was fit enough himsell, For forming plots to nip us snell, 'Thout adding your's to his, Mactaggart Encycl. (1824) 246, ed. 1876. (2) Abd. Did I no haud the dog frae the death-shanks o' 'im, MacDonald Warlock (1882) xlix. (3) Sh.I. A sheep's shank bane, Spence Flk-Lore (1899) 184. Ayr. He always made as much vegetable soup on the Saturday with the help of a shank bone as served for Sunday's dinner, Johnston Congalton (1896) iv. Lnk. A peal o' eldritch laughter... gar'd my vera shank-banes grue, Murdoch Lyre (1873) 11. Nhb.1 Wm. His big red wrists protruded like shank-bones from the sleeves, Ollivant Owd Bob (1900) 82. w.Yks. (J.W.) (4) Lakel.2 n.Yks.2; n.Yks.4 Ah'll 'ev ti ride on shank's gallowaay ti neet, 230. w.Yks.1 Eigh, I raad o' shanks-galloway, ii. 309. ne.Lan.1, Chs.1, n.Lin.1 (5) n.Lin.1 (6) w.Yks.5 ‘Bown to ride?’ ‘Noa, ah sal shanksmare it.’ (7, a) Sc. Have you ever heard of Shanks' Naigie, Mr. Savory? Keith Indian Uncle (1896) 35. e.Fif. Some cam' in spring cairts, some on horseback, an' ithers on shanks-naig, Latto Tam Bodkin (1864) xxv. Ayr. I maun gang there on shanks-naigy, Galt Sir A. Wylie (1822) xxxv. Slk. I challenged him, on the same condition, to rin him intil Embro' on shank's naigie, Chr. North Noctes (ed. 1856) II. 175. Ir. N. & Q. (1857) 2nd S. iv. 86. Nhb.1, n.Yks.1 n.Yks.2 n.Yks.4, e.Yks.1, Lin.1, n.Lin.1, War.3, Suf.1 (b) n.Yks.1; n.Yks.2 I intend to shanksnag it. m.Yks.1, ne.Lan.1 (8) Sc. Montgomerie-Fleming Notes on Jam. (1899). Lnk. Gie me a sax-mile stretch o' road On auld John Shanks's noddy, Murdoch Lyre (1873) 77. (9) Bwk. Then the Laird, wha has driven his ain shanks pair Doon Lounsdale's Valley sae still an' fair, Calder Poems (1897) 126. (10) n.Yks.1 n.Yks.2, m.Yks.1 2. Phr. (1) to lay down the shanks, to run; (2) to move the shankie, to bestir oneself; to rise to go. (1) Rnf. My word, she can lay down her shanks: In terror o' a paiket skin, She's at the lane head swift's the win', Young Pictures (1865) 137. (2) Gall. Whan naething mair fra it dis seep, Wi' than they move the shankie, Mactaggart Encycl. (1824) 113, ed. 1876. 3. The leg of a stocking; a stocking, esp. one in the process of being knitted. Sc. (Jam.), (A.W.) Elg. Aye at her wark, at shank or sark, Or darnin' up the auld, Tester Poems (1865) 105. Bnff.1 Abd. It's tiresome nae to hae a bit shank, Alexander Johnny Gibb (1871) xxxviii. Ayr. A pair of grey breeks and white shanks gartenit abune the knee, Service Notandums (1890) 108.

SHANK, sb.1 and v. Var. dial. uses in Sc. Irel. and Eng. Also written schank Sc. (Jam.); and in form shenk Yks. [ʃaŋk, ʃæŋk.] 1. sb. In comb. (1) Auld Shanks, death; (2) Death-shank, a thin leg, as that of a dead person; (3) Shank-bone, a leg, the shin-bone; (4) Shanks' Galloway, (5) Shanks' horse, one's own legs; afoot; (6) Shanks' mare, to travel by foot; to walk; (7) Shank(s' nag or Shank(s' naigie, (a) see (5); (b) see (6); (8) Shanks' noddy, (9) Shanks' pair, see (5); (10) Shank-weary, tired with walking. (1) Gall. Auld Shanks was fit enough himsell, For forming plots to nip us snell, 'Thout adding your's to his, Mactaggart Encycl. (1824) 246, ed. 1876. (2) Abd. Did I no haud the dog frae the death-shanks o' 'im, MacDonald Warlock (1882) xlix. (3) Sh.I. A sheep's shank bane, Spence Flk-Lore (1899) 184. Ayr. He always made as much vegetable soup on the Saturday with the help of a shank bone as served for Sunday's dinner, Johnston Congalton (1896) iv. Lnk. A peal o' eldritch laughter... gar'd my vera shank-banes grue, Murdoch Lyre (1873) 11. Nhb.1 Wm. His big red wrists protruded like shank-bones from the sleeves, Ollivant Owd Bob (1900) 82. w.Yks. (J.W.) (4) Lakel.2 n.Yks.2; n.Yks.4 Ah'll 'ev ti ride on shank's gallowaay ti neet, 230. w.Yks.1 Eigh, I raad o' shanks-galloway, ii. 309. ne.Lan.1, Chs.1, n.Lin.1 (5) n.Lin.1 (6) w.Yks.5 ‘Bown to ride?’ ‘Noa, ah sal shanksmare it.’ (7, a) Sc. Have you ever heard of Shanks' Naigie, Mr. Savory? Keith Indian Uncle (1896) 35. e.Fif. Some cam' in spring cairts, some on horseback, an' ithers on shanks-naig, Latto Tam Bodkin (1864) xxv. Ayr. I maun gang there on shanks-naigy, Galt Sir A. Wylie (1822) xxxv. Slk. I challenged him, on the same condition, to rin him intil Embro' on shank's naigie, Chr. North Noctes (ed. 1856) II. 175. Ir. N. & Q. (1857) 2nd S. iv. 86. Nhb.1, n.Yks.1 n.Yks.2 n.Yks.4, e.Yks.1, Lin.1, n.Lin.1, War.3, Suf.1 (b) n.Yks.1; n.Yks.2 I intend to shanksnag it. m.Yks.1, ne.Lan.1 (8) Sc. Montgomerie-Fleming Notes on Jam. (1899). Lnk. Gie me a sax-mile stretch o' road On auld John Shanks's noddy, Murdoch Lyre (1873) 77. (9) Bwk. Then the Laird, wha has driven his ain shanks pair Doon Lounsdale's Valley sae still an' fair, Calder Poems (1897) 126. (10) n.Yks.1 n.Yks.2, m.Yks.1 2. Phr. (1) to lay down the shanks, to run; (2) to move the shankie, to bestir oneself; to rise to go. (1) Rnf. My word, she can lay down her shanks: In terror o' a paiket skin, She's at the lane head swift's the win', Young Pictures (1865) 137. (2) Gall. Whan naething mair fra it dis seep, Wi' than they move the shankie, Mactaggart Encycl. (1824) 113, ed. 1876. 3. The leg of a stocking; a stocking, esp. one in the process of being knitted. Sc. (Jam.), (A.W.) Elg. Aye at her wark, at shank or sark, Or darnin' up the auld, Tester Poems (1865) 105. Bnff.1 Abd. It's tiresome nae to hae a bit shank, Alexander Johnny Gibb (1871) xxxviii. Ayr. A pair of grey breeks and white shanks gartenit abune the knee, Service Notandums (1890) 108. Hence Shankers, sb. pl. stockings without feet. Wil.1 Cf. sankers, sb. pl. 4. A handle, shaft; a stem. Sc. (Jam.) Slg. Fruit and timber? it was naething but tatties and besom shanks, Harvey Kennethcrook (1896) 125. Ayr. He had the shank o' the very glass in his hand he had held to his old fren's lips, Galt Lairds (1826) iii. Rxb. Harry... tied a piece of cord to a padle shank, Murray Hawick Characters (1901) 32. N.I.1 Don. He ran a straw down the shank of his pipe, MacManus Bend of Road (1898) 47. Nhb.1 Cum. He... gev them pooar lads sec a brea'kin wid a brush shank, Farrall Betty Wilson (1876) 63. w.Yks. Lucas Stud. Nidderdale (c. 1882) Gl.; The portions of a pair of scissors from the heel to the bows (C.V.C.). Nhp.1 The crooked handle of a scythe. Hence Shank-pan, sb. a small pan having a long handle, a small saucepan. Cum. Sally browt a new shank pan, Dickinson Lit. Rem. (1888) 176; Cum.1 Cum.4 Wm. Set t'shankpan on an mak some het watter (B.K.). 5. The spoke of a wheel. Dev. (Hall.), Dev.3, Cor.1 Cor.2 6. A stalk of a plant; the trunk of a tree. Sc. Ruddiman Introd. (1773) (Jam.). Cai.1 Per. The chiel wha kens a' kinds of fruits, Shrubs, shanks, shaws, flowers, and bulbous roots, Spence Poems (1898) 147. 7. A thick piece of wood cut from the thorns in hedges the bottom end of the thorn. Nhp.1 8. pl. Locks of shiny hair cut from the legs or face of a sheep. w.Yks. (J.M.) Hence Shankings, sb. pl. the short coarse locks of wool from about the feet of a sheep. w.Yks. (J.C.) Cf. leggin, 2. 9. The projecting point of a hill; the narrow ridge which joins it to the plain. Sc. I heard a queer unearthly greet coming down the shank, and wizing ay nearer and nearer to the byre door, Blackw. Mag. (Nov. 1820) 201 (Jam.). Edb. Hills are variously named, according to their magnitude; as... Height, Shank, Brae, Pennecuik Wks. (1715) 50, ed. 1815. N.Cy.1, Nhb.1 10. The shaft or pit of a coal-mine. Sc. (Jam.) Ayr. This lowsing the stanes in the shank, so chirted oot the bratticing that at last it suddenly gied way, Service Dr. Duguid (ed. 1887) 138. Lnk. Mony clever chiels work doon the shank, Wardrop J. Mathison (1881) 122. 11. A small ladle used for carrying molten steel. s.Yks. (S.O.A.) 13. Obsol. A rope to fasten up horses in the stable. Nhb.1, Shr.1 14. A pin made from the shank-bone of a sheep, used to fasten slates. Dur. (R.O.H.) 15. The lower or remaining part; esp. used of the latter part of the day or week. Also in comp. Shank-end. Lakel.1 w.Yks. Nah, mo lads, we'n get'n tot shank end at year ageean, Bywater Sheffield Dial. (1839) 170; w.Yks.1 ‘The shank of the evening.’ twilight. Lin. Thompson Hist. Boston (1856) 722; Lin.1 Nhp.1 The shank of the day. Wor. (H.K.) Oxf.1 Us'll get home towards the shank, MS. add. 16. v. To travel on foot; to walk; to run; gen. in phr. to shank it. Sc. I shankit every fit o' the road (Jam.); (A.W.); Ye'll hae tae shank it, Montgomerie-Fleming Notes on Jam. (1899). Ayr. My travel a' on foot I'll shank it, I've sturdy bearers, Gude be thankit! Burns Inventory, l. 67. Ir. He was ‘after scein' Jerry Dunne shankin' up from Duff clane ways,’ Barlow Lisconnel (1895) 20. m.Yks.1, Lan.1, e.Lan.1 s.Lan.1 Aw've no brass for t'roide, aw mun shank it. 17. To depart quickly; to hurry off; to send off without ceremony; to dispatch; gen. with off. Sc. Shank them to bed (Jam.); Aff for aye he shanket Wi' Death that day, Wilson Poems (1790) 202 (Jam.). Lth. He shankit the snab hame to cobble his shoon, Ballantine Poems (1856) 55. Edb. Ballantine Gaberlunzie (ed. 1875) Gl. Ir. It's shankin' off to the polis I'll be, Barlow Lisconnel (1895) 304. 18. Phr. (1) to shank off with oneself, (2) to shank oneself away, to take oneself away, to hurry off. (1) Ir. Well, I must be shankin' off wid oneself, Mrs. McGurk, Barlow Idylls (1892) 19. Uls. (M.B.-S.) (2) Sc. (Jam.); Then shank yourself awa to the double folk, or single folk, Scott Antiquary (1816) xxvii; (A.W.) Dmf. Shank yourself awa before I put hand till ye, Hamilton Mawkin (1898) 47. 19. To knit stockings. Abd. A brown-faced lady ─ who sat ‘shanking’ by the wayside, watching her ‘twa kye’ and the bleaching, Abd. Wkly. Free Press (Aug. 6, 1898). w.Yks. Starting to knit healds by hand, which was done at the bottom part (J.R.). Hence Shanker, sb. a knitter of stockings. n.Sc. Sibbald Gl. (1802) (Jam.). Abd. The shankers hamphise the fireside, Beattie Parings (1801) 26. 20. To fit with a prong or handle. w.Sc. To shank a fork (Jam.). Hence (1) Shanker, sb. a shrimper who attaches his net to a cart or boat; (2) Shanking-cart, sb., see below. (1) Lan. (B.K.) (2) Lan. The cart used by shankers whereto the shank of the shrimp-net is secured, and by means of which it is dragged in the tide (B.K.); The bodies were lifted on to a shanking cart by the search party, by the direction of Inspector Hodgson, of the Lancashire constabulary, Manch. Even. Chron. (Sept. 6, 1901) 4. 21. To sink a shaft. Cld. To shank for coal (Jam.). Ayr. Three new coal-heughs were shanked in the Douray moor, and ever since there has been a great plenty of that necessary article, Galt Ann. Parish (1821) vi. Hence Shanker, sb. a sinker of shafts. Sc. The settled miners looked down a little upon these shankers as wild asses (S.R.C.). w.Sc. A well-shanker. A pit-shanker (Jam.). 22. Fig. To shrivel, shrink, wither. Lnk. A shilpit, wersh-lookin', sma', shankit creatur', Fraser Whaups (1895) i.

SHANK, sb.2 Cor.3 [ʃæŋk.] A lump of expectoration.

‡SHANKS, sb. pl. Dur. Slates. (Hall.) [?Mistake for the pins made of sheep-bones, which were formerly used to fasten slates and called ‘shanks.’ (R.O.H.)]

Hence Shankers, sb. pl. stockings without feet. Wil.1 Cf. sankers, sb. pl. 4. A handle, shaft; a stem. Sc. (Jam.) Slg. Fruit and timber? it was naething but tatties and besom shanks, Harvey Kennethcrook (1896) 125. Ayr. He had the shank o' the very glass in his hand he had held to his old fren's lips, Galt Lairds (1826) iii. Rxb. Harry... tied a piece of cord to a padle shank, Murray Hawick Characters (1901) 32. N.I.1 Don. He ran a straw down the shank of his pipe, MacManus Bend of Road (1898) 47. Nhb.1 Cum. He... gev them pooar lads sec a brea'kin wid a brush shank, Farrall Betty Wilson (1876) 63. w.Yks. Lucas Stud. Nidderdale (c. 1882) Gl.; The portions of a pair of scissors from the heel to the bows (C.V.C.). Nhp.1 The crooked handle of a scythe. Hence Shank-pan, sb. a small pan having a long handle, a small saucepan. Cum. Sally browt a new shank pan, Dickinson Lit. Rem. (1888) 176; Cum.1 Cum.4 Wm. Set t'shankpan on an mak some het watter (B.K.). 5. The spoke of a wheel. Dev. (Hall.), Dev.3, Cor.1 Cor.2 6. A stalk of a plant; the trunk of a tree. Sc. Ruddiman Introd. (1773) (Jam.). Cai.1 Per. The chiel wha kens a' kinds of fruits, Shrubs, shanks, shaws, flowers, and bulbous roots, Spence Poems (1898) 147. 7. A thick piece of wood cut from the thorns in hedges the bottom end of the thorn. Nhp.1 8. pl. Locks of shiny hair cut from the legs or face of a sheep. w.Yks. (J.M.) Hence Shankings, sb. pl. the short coarse locks of wool from about the feet of a sheep. w.Yks. (J.C.) Cf. leggin, 2. 9. The projecting point of a hill; the narrow ridge which joins it to the plain. Sc. I heard a queer unearthly greet coming down the shank, and wizing ay nearer and nearer to the byre door, Blackw. Mag. (Nov. 1820) 201 (Jam.). Edb. Hills are variously named, according to their magnitude; as... Height, Shank, Brae, Pennecuik Wks. (1715) 50, ed. 1815. N.Cy.1, Nhb.1 10. The shaft or pit of a coal-mine. Sc. (Jam.) Ayr. This lowsing the stanes in the shank, so chirted oot the bratticing that at last it suddenly gied way, Service Dr. Duguid (ed. 1887) 138. Lnk. Mony clever chiels work doon the shank, Wardrop J. Mathison (1881) 122. 11. A small ladle used for carrying molten steel. s.Yks. (S.O.A.) 13. Obsol. A rope to fasten up horses in the stable. Nhb.1, Shr.1 14. A pin made from the shank-bone of a sheep, used to fasten slates. Dur. (R.O.H.) 15. The lower or remaining part; esp. used of the latter part of the day or week. Also in comp. Shank-end. Lakel.1 w.Yks. Nah, mo lads, we'n get'n tot shank end at year ageean, Bywater Sheffield Dial. (1839) 170; w.Yks.1 ‘The shank of the evening.’ twilight. Lin. Thompson Hist. Boston (1856) 722; Lin.1 Nhp.1 The shank of the day. Wor. (H.K.) Oxf.1 Us'll get home towards the shank, MS. add. 16. v. To travel on foot; to walk; to run; gen. in phr. to shank it. Sc. I shankit every fit o' the road (Jam.); (A.W.); Ye'll hae tae shank it, Montgomerie-Fleming Notes on Jam. (1899). Ayr. My travel a' on foot I'll shank it, I've sturdy bearers, Gude be thankit! Burns Inventory, l. 67. Ir. He was ‘after scein' Jerry Dunne shankin' up from Duff clane ways,’ Barlow Lisconnel (1895) 20. m.Yks.1, Lan.1, e.Lan.1 s.Lan.1 Aw've no brass for t'roide, aw mun shank it. 17. To depart quickly; to hurry off; to send off without ceremony; to dispatch; gen. with off. Sc. Shank them to bed (Jam.); Aff for aye he shanket Wi' Death that day, Wilson Poems (1790) 202 (Jam.). Lth. He shankit the snab hame to cobble his shoon, Ballantine Poems (1856) 55. Edb. Ballantine Gaberlunzie (ed. 1875) Gl. Ir. It's shankin' off to the polis I'll be, Barlow Lisconnel (1895) 304. 18. Phr. (1) to shank off with oneself, (2) to shank oneself away, to take oneself away, to hurry off. (1) Ir. Well, I must be shankin' off wid oneself, Mrs. McGurk, Barlow Idylls (1892) 19. Uls. (M.B.-S.) (2) Sc. (Jam.); Then shank yourself awa to the double folk, or single folk, Scott Antiquary (1816) xxvii; (A.W.) Dmf. Shank yourself awa before I put hand till ye, Hamilton Mawkin (1898) 47. 19. To knit stockings. Abd. A brown-faced lady ─ who sat ‘shanking’ by the wayside, watching her ‘twa kye’ and the bleaching, Abd. Wkly. Free Press (Aug. 6, 1898). w.Yks. Starting to knit healds by hand, which was done at the bottom part (J.R.). Hence Shanker, sb. a knitter of stockings. n.Sc. Sibbald Gl. (1802) (Jam.). Abd. The shankers hamphise the fireside, Beattie Parings (1801) 26. 20. To fit with a prong or handle. w.Sc. To shank a fork (Jam.). Hence (1) Shanker, sb. a shrimper who attaches his net to a cart or boat; (2) Shanking-cart, sb., see below. (1) Lan. (B.K.) (2) Lan. The cart used by shankers whereto the shank of the shrimp-net is secured, and by means of which it is dragged in the tide (B.K.); The bodies were lifted on to a shanking cart by the search party, by the direction of Inspector Hodgson, of the Lancashire constabulary, Manch. Even. Chron. (Sept. 6, 1901) 4. 21. To sink a shaft. Cld. To shank for coal (Jam.). Ayr. Three new coal-heughs were shanked in the Douray moor, and ever since there has been a great plenty of that necessary article, Galt Ann. Parish (1821) vi. Hence Shanker, sb. a sinker of shafts. Sc. The settled miners looked down a little upon these shankers as wild asses (S.R.C.). w.Sc. A well-shanker. A pit-shanker (Jam.). 22. Fig. To shrivel, shrink, wither. Lnk. A shilpit, wersh-lookin', sma', shankit creatur', Fraser Whaups (1895) i.

SHANK, sb.2 Cor.3 [ʃæŋk.] A lump of expectoration.

‡SHANKS, sb. pl. Dur. Slates. (Hall.) [?Mistake for the pins made of sheep-bones, which were formerly used to fasten slates and called ‘shanks.’ (R.O.H.)]