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.
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 […]1796, Thomas Pennant, “History of Holywell Parish,”, in The History of the Parishes of Whiteford, and Holywell, London: B. and J. White, page 217:
3 more examples
[…] her hair was as straight as a hank of cotton.1859, George Eliot, chapter 9, in Adam Bede, volume 1, Edinburgh: William Blackwood, page 181:
The past year or two had brought knitting-needles into countenance for men, and he saw no reason why he should not put a few hanks of yarn into shape useful for himself.1919, Henry Blake Fuller, chapter 14, in Bertram Cope’s Year, Chicago: R.F. Seymour, page 131:
He found a hank of clothesline on a counter.1957, Nevil Shute, chapter 9, in On the Beach, New York: William Morrow:
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Nautical, Transport A ring or shackle that secures a staysail to its stay and allows the sail to glide smoothly up and down.
Seldom doth a man fall into a Preſumptuous Sin, but vvhere the Devil hath got ſuch a hanke over him, […]1636 July (date delivered), Robert Sanderson, “[Ad Aulam.] Sermon IV. Beuvoyr, July 1636”, in XXXIV Sermons. […], 5th edition, London: […] [A. Clark] for A. Seil, and are to be sold by G. Sawbridge, […], published 1671, →OCLC, paragraph 43, page 59:
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Government, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Martial arts, Military, Politics, Sports, War, Wrestling 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.
hank
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.
where stood a fyne howse newly built and vaulted, over wheron her armes was sett and hanked with tapestrye1573, Richard Dering, “Accounts Book”, in The Progresses and Public Processions of Queen Elizabeth, John Nichols, published 1823: