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shank

shank

1 7.0
The part of the leg between the knee and the ankle in a person
  • noun
  • /ʃæŋk/
translation icon : espinilla
  • Horses have powerful shanks that help them run quickly across fields.
  • thigh and shank
  • foot and shank
  • prosthetic shank

Examples

  • Right shank, left elbow, ankles, big toes.

  • The doctor examined the shank of the patient's leg for any signs of injury.

  • Then I saw the white shank of my father's leg and his forearm.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • The length of the thigh and the shank of the orthosis can be changed as well.

    Academic text (2000)
  • And their tails have long hairs which can reach the thigh here, all the way up to the shank.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Strong hind legs and shanks, thick gray fur, jaunty full tail with an underside of creamy white.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • After the injury, he had to wear a brace on his shank to support it while healing.

Synonyms

shin
vsshank
32 1.0

The front part of the lower leg between the knee and the ankle

covers the same lower leg section generally, not only the front surface
crus
vsshank
  • Specialized
1 9.9

The part of the leg between the knee and the foot

ends at the ankle rather than extending to the foot

Compounds

shank-nag
  • Archaic
9.9

An old horse that is weak and not fit for regular work

Surface Forms

shank singular
shanks plural

Etymology

Shank originally meant 'leg', especially the part between the knee and the ankle, and that is why we still call that lower part of the leg the 'shank'.