shanks

Legs below knees

Shanks are legs, especially the part between knee and ankle, or any long narrow section resembling this: the shank of a nail, a drill bit, a golf club.

A shank of meat is cut from an animal's leg.

In golf, to shank is to mishit the ball with the club's hosel rather than the face—a dreaded error.

In prison slang, a shank is a homemade knife, and to shank someone is to stab them: He got shanked in the yard.

anatomy

calves

Rear shin muscles

  • thighsUpper leg sections
  • legsLocomotion appendages below torso
  • kneesLeg joints with caps

ankles · hamstrings · quadriceps · tibia · fibula · femur · limbs · joints · gait · stride

tool

handle

Part for gripping

  • stemPlant's central axis
  • shaftNarrow vertical passage
  • shivMakeshift stabbing tool

blade · spike · homemade weapon · improvised · jabbing

walk

hoofing

Dancing vigorously

tread · trek · hike · amble · stroll · saunter · meander · ramble · jaunt · legwork

cut

osso buco

Braised cross-cut shanks

bone-in · slow-cooked · crosscut

golf

mishit

Poorly struck shot

  • slicePortion cut off
  • hookCurved catching device
  • errantDeviating from proper course

wayward · pulled · misfired · embarrassing · skulled · topped · duffed

Categories
Opposites
leg anatomy

shanksthighs

Upper leg sections

feet · calves · ankles · haunches · hips

meat cuts (position on animal)

shanksloin

Lower back region

tenderloin · ribeye · sirloin · breast · shoulder

tool component (shaft vs. functional end)

shanksblade

Flat cutting edge

head · bit · tip · point · working end

Phrases
Family

shank, shanked, shanking

Familiarity
Top 200,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated PG