Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To mutilate.
  • noun Same as mancus.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun US, slang man milk, literally milk lactated from a male's nipple as opposed to a female's. Different meaning than the slang man milk, this is not semen.
  • adjective UK, slang disgusting, repulsive
  • noun Something that is disgusting or manky
  • verb transitive, obsolete To mutilate.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

(portmanteau) man + milk. Sometimes stylized as "MANK".

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

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

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

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

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Examples

  • He seemed to want "mank" to be a nonsense syllable.

    languagehat.com: Q.PHEEVR ON 'BUTTERFLY.' 2005

  • These bring warm, wet conditions and are accompanied by much low cloud (the infamous "Signy mank").

    South Orkney Islands 2009

  • But anyway, click there to learn about the new bed, the impending ramp closures that fill me with rage, fish mank in the fish tank, and much more.

    May 18, 2009 2009

  • He may have simply been old, or perhaps the recurring tank mank of which there was no sign finally got to him — although it never seemed to bother him before.

    A sad day. 2009

  • Usually, dry shampoo comes in a powder or a spray which you dust or spritz onto your roots, then fluff up your hair and brush it out, and thus the worst of the weekly mank is brushed away — leaving your hair refreshed, if not squeaky clean.

    Dry Shampoo and Mad Science 2009

  • Ai nawt kneow bout awl teh kindsa kittehs eder, ai kneow bengal and mank an simeze (iz taht meezer?) an purrrsion butt(!) taht bowt it fur meh aifink.

    *sigh* Iz bored - Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats - I Can Has Cheezburger? 2009

  • Sigh - to our annouance it looks like I'm going to have to do some serious stain treatment on the bedding and stuff that got hit by the mank from the highchair Standard techniques have left them all with black splodges, including Jeans nice white fleece blanket!

    Snell-Pym » Black splodges 2007

  • Over on the other site I properly credited Jack Handy, the originator of this particular linguistic paradigm, who pointed out the deep philosophical significance of the fact that the word "mankind" is compounded from "mank" and "ind".

    languagehat.com: Q.PHEEVR ON 'BUTTERFLY.' 2005

  • The etymology of simurgh brought to mind Jack Handey's etymology of "mankind": the compound of "mank" + "ind".

    languagehat.com: SIMURGH. 2005

  • Mr. Handy was aware, of course, of the six different OED entries for mank; some of the senses are: a fuss, to-do; a disorder of the blood; a trick, a practical joke; (as an adjective) maimed, mutilated, defective; (as a verb) to fool about, mess around; to play tricks.

    languagehat.com: Q.PHEEVR ON 'BUTTERFLY.' 2005

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