Skip to the word

Added 10 October 2026

sheepshank

/ˈʃiːpʃæŋk/ noun

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about sheepshank at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A type of knot which is useful for shortening a rope or taking up slack without cutting it.

verb

To shorten (a rope) using a sheepshank knot.

Origin

Originally sheepshank knot or sheepshanks knot, from sheep + shank (“part of the leg between the knee and ankle”); the connection between the knot and a sheep’s leg is unclear.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word