mank meaning (obsolete): definition, etymology and quotations

mank

verb

CA, US /ˈmeɪ̯ŋk/ · /ˈmæŋk/

Etymology From Middle English manken, from Old English *mancian, bemancian (“to maim, mutilate”), of obscure origin. Cognate with Middle Low German mank (“lame, defective”), Dutch mank (“lame, defective”), and Middle High German manc (“lack, defect”). Perhaps from Latin mancus (“maimed, crippled, frail, incomplete”), from Proto-Indo-European *mank-, *menk- (“maimed, mutilation, torment”).

Obsolete To mutilate.

Related terms: mangle

mank

adj

Etymology Via Polari, from Italian mancare (“to be lacking”), from Latin mancus (“maimed”). See above.

UK, Slang Disgusting, repulsive.

When he eats, he never closes his mouth. It's so mank.

Slang Synonym of manky (“being or having bad weather”).

Antarctica can be dingle, with clear skies, or mank, with nothing of the sort.1978, Anthony Smith, Wilderness, page 40:
This typical 'mank' weather does not stop fur seal pups from exploring.1983, Portrait of Antarctica, page 154:

mank

noun

Etymology Via Polari, from Italian mancare (“to be lacking”), from Latin mancus (“maimed”). See above.

UK, Slang Something that is disgusting or manky.

The plumber had to get all the mank out of the drain.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.