hock
Hock (noun) means the joint on the hind leg of an animal such as a horse, dog, or pig, roughly equivalent to an ankle. Example: “The vet examined a swelling on the horse's hock.”
How to use hock
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the ankle-like joint on an animal's hind leg, or (informally) to pawn something for cash.
Word forms
hocked past tense, hocked past tense, hocked past tense, hocks plural, hocks plural, hocks plural, hocks singular, hocks singular, hocks singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The vet examined a swelling on the horse's _____.
Etymology
The "pawn" sense traces to a clipping of "hockamore", itself from German; the wine sense comes from Hochheim, a German wine-producing town.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for hock
See all rhymes for hock →Frequently asked questions
What does “hock” mean?
The word “hock” means the joint on the hind leg of an animal such as a horse, dog, or pig, roughly equivalent to an ankle. In plain terms, either the ankle-like joint on an animal's hind leg, or (informally) to pawn something for cash.
How do you pronounce “hock”?
“Hock” is pronounced hok (/hɑk/ in IPA).
How do you use “hock” in a sentence?
Here is “hock” used in a sentence: “The vet examined a swelling on the horse's hock.”
What part of speech is “hock”?
Depending on how it is used, “hock” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “hock” come from?
The word “hock” comes from German. The "pawn" sense traces to a clipping of "hockamore", itself from German; the wine sense comes from Hochheim, a German wine-producing town.
How many meanings does “hock” have?
“Hock” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the joint on the hind leg of an animal such as a horse, dog, or pig, roughly equivalent to an ankle.
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