Middle English Dictionary Entry
shank(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | shank(e n. Also shanck, (chiefly WM) shonk(e & (early) sceonke, (early SWM) sconke, soncke & (in surnames) shaunk, chank, (early) scanke & (errors) shauke, scrank; pl. shankes, etc. & (N) scankes & (early, chiefly SW or SWM) shonken, sconken, sheonken, (early gen.) sceancena. |
| Etymology | OE sceanca, scanca, sconca, pl.gen. sceancena; N form in sc- may belong to skank n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The leg of a human or an animal; under shankes, below the legs; with (the) long shankes, with the shankes long, an epithet for Edward I; werpen ~ over shench, to throw one leg over the other, cross one's legs; [some quots. may belong in sense (b)]; (b) that part of the leg of a human or an animal below the knee, the shin or calf; ~ bon, the bone of the lower leg of an animal or a bird; (c) fur from the leg of an animal, used for trimming garments; bouge ~, fur from the shank of a sheep; (d) in surnames.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)p.138.6 : Wið sceancena sarnyssa & fot-ece, bettonica & ȝeormaleaf..ȝemeng wyd mylc & wið wæter & beþa mid.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2924 : Lihteð of eowre blanken, and stondeð on eowre sconken.
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)537/4 : Crus: sceonke.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)132/13 : He bledde..of þe luðere scurgunge ȝont al his leofliche lich, nawt ane o þe schonken [Cleo: scheonken; Tit: schonkes].
- c1230 Ancr.(Corp-C 402)103/19 : Þe ealleofte hwelp is ifed wið supersticiuns, wið semblanz & wið sines, as beoren on heh þet heaued..warpe schonke ouer schench [Pep: werpen legge ouer oþer].
- a1325(?c1300) NPass.(Cmb Gg.1.1)1525 : A drowen is fet ouer þe bor neith a span long, His schankes þe breken.
- a1350(1307) Execution Fraser (Hrl 2253)233 : Tprot, scot, for þi strif! hang vp þyn hachet ant þi knyf, whil him lasteþ þe lyf wiþ þe longe shonkes.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2725 : Sompnolence..dremeth ofte..hou he sitteth be the fyr And claweth on his bare schanckes.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)28002 : If þou man..has bituix hir scankes gan Or tirid or tut or skirt uptan..It es to tell for dedli sin.
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)107/1347 : He was take by þe feet and þryes dipped adown, His shankes, his hed, his body, his crown, But his feet com not þereynne.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.189 : He smote of James schank [F jaumbe].
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)160 : Heme-wel haled hose of þat same grene..& scholes vnder schankes, þere þe schalk rides.
- c1410 Chaucer CT.Sh.(Hrl 7334)B.1392 : Schankes [Heng: with that word he caughte hire by the flankes].
- a1425 Celestine (LdMisc 463)617 : Lecherye, here ȝeue I þe Boþe my shankes be þe kneo, and myn menbres.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)61/28 : In þat water bathe hym & wasche his fete & his schankes abouen his knees.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)4384 : Wyþ wyfles strike, wyþ axes hewe, Schuldres, schankes, & hedes, doun hewe.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.KEng.(1) (Hrl 372)162 : Edward the First, with the shankes long, Was aftir crowned, that was so good a knyht.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)146.11 : Noght in strenght of hors will he sall hafe, na in shankis [L tybiis] of man welewillynge sall be til him.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306)20 : Aftir Kynge Henry regned his sone Edwarde the First with longe shankes.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)11423 : Þanne is an hors shapen wel: Longe shankes and longe hals, Longe taile and longe ribbis als, [etc.].
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)4775 : Job..warrþ all..Full hefiȝlike secnedd, Swa swiþe þatt hiss bodiȝ toc To rotenn bufenn eorþe. All samenn, brest & wambe & þes & cnes & fet & shannkess, [etc.].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7591 : Hængest..þus..his gon learen þat ælc nome a long sax & læiden bi his sconke [Otho: soncke] wið-inne his hose.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)211 : At pleȝe..swinch þe lichame, þih, and shonkes and fet oppieð wombe gosshieð and shuldres wrenchieð.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1903 : He broken armes, he broken knes, He broken shankes, he broken thes.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)796 : Wiþ þe fal þe steede a noon To-barst þat o sschanke bon.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)14064 : Sco hir vnttement me broght And smerd has me fote and schank Quar-for i can hir mikel thank.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)637/6 : Tubia: schanke.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)81/19 : Men ballokes hyngez doune to þaire schankes [Man.(1): knees; F my iambe] for þe grete violence of hete þat dissoluez þaire bodys.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)90a/b : Þe roller þat þe þiȝe schal be bounde wiþ alle fyue ynche brode, & þe roller þat þe schanke schal be bounden wiþ alle schal be foure ynche brode.
- c1450 De CMulieribus (Add 10304)695 : In beholdynge the byrdes bare shank-bone, Or els of reede in sum fenny place..Instrumentys she found first be kunnynge, Pypys, trumpys, and shalmvys loude blowynge.
- c1450 Swarte smekyd (Arun 292)12 : Here schankes ben schakeled for the fere-flunderys.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)111b : A Schanke: Sura.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)314/262 : Behald my shankes and my knees, Myn armes and my thees.
- a1500 Vnto you (RwlPoet 36)22 : Your thyghes mysgrowen, youre shankys mych worse..Such a peyre Chaumbys I neuer on lokyd.
c
- (1400) Will York in Sur.Soc.4513 : j pilch de scrank et bys de j tunica equitatura.
- (1440) Invent.in Scrope Castle Combe229 : 2 furred gounes, one blew furred wt fechowes, the other russet furred wt shank of black lambe.
- (1445) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.81 : [One gown of] musterdevilers [half trimmed with] blak shankys, [7 s.].
- (1463) Will York in Sur.Soc.30260 : j togam nigram pennulatam cum buggishauke.
- (a1500) Collect.Anglo-Premonst.in RHS ser.3.6264 : A blak gowne furride with shankes.
d
- (1176) in Pipe R.Soc.25145 : Walterus Schanke.
- (1201) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.1458 : Roberto Scanke.
- (1276) Pleas Som.in Som.RS 4170 : William Shonke.
- (1297) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 16137 : Steph. Schankes.
- (1307) Nickname in LuSE 55119 : Ric. Longschaunk.
- (1314) Nickname in LuSE 55119 : Ric. Longchankes.
- (1323) Nickname in LuSE 55189 : Henr. Whitshonk.
- (c1346) Name in LuSE 357 : Shepshank.
- (1379) Nickname in LuSE 5566 : Joh. Brouneshank.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. shank.