hock

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈhäk 

1

a

: the tarsal joint or region in the hind limb of a digitigrade quadruped (such as the horse) corresponding to the human ankle but elevated and bending backward see horse illustration

b

: a joint of a fowl's leg that corresponds to the hock of a quadruped

2

: a small cut of meat from a front or hind leg just above the foot

ham hocks

hock

2 of 5

noun (2)

often capitalized

chiefly British

: rhine wine sense 1

hock

3 of 5

verb (1)

hocked; hocking; hocks

transitive verb

: pawn

hocker noun

hock

4 of 5

noun (3)

1

a

: pawn entry 2 sense 2

got his watch out of hock

b

: debt sense 2

in hock to the bank

2

: prison

hock

5 of 5

verb (2)

hocked; hocking

transitive verb

US, informal

: to forcefully spit out (something, such as phlegm)

hock a loogie

hock a wad of tobacco

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• pawn
• pledge

Noun (3)

• bastille
• big house [slang]
• bridewell
• brig
• calaboose
• can
• clink [slang]
• cooler
• coop
• guardroom
• hold
• hoosegow
• jail
• jailhouse
• joint [slang]
• jug
• lockup
• nick [British slang]
• pen
• penitentiary
• pokey [slang]
• prison
• quod [British slang]
• slam
• slammer
• stir [slang]
• stockade
• tolbooth [Scottish]

Examples of hock in a Sentence

Verb (1)

the prince had to hock the family jewels to pay his gambling debts

Noun (3)

some lowlife who had been in and out of hock most of his adult life

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Get The Recipe 20 of 24 Slow-Cooker Collard Greens With Ham Hocks These slow-cooker collard greens, flavored with ham hocks, are an easy, hands-off Southern classic that saves stovetop space and delivers rich, comforting flavor perfect for the holidays. —Macie Stump, Southern Living, 17 Dec. 2024

The collard greens with ham hocks and macaroni and cheese are a close second. —Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 27 Nov. 2024

Verb

If Emily can be in Paris and Rome, why can’t Robert be in Joshua Tree hocking ayahuasca? —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2024

Curtailing the items eligible could embolden Amazon ’s competitive online retail advantage — but also poses a risk to fellow portfolio stock Meta Platforms , which has benefited from the likes of Temu and Shein flooding social media with ads hocking their products. —Paulina Likos, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English hoch, hough, from Old English hōh heel; akin to Old Norse hāsin hock

Noun (2)

modification of German Hochheimer, from Hochheim, Germany

Noun (3) and Verb (1)

Dutch hok pen, prison

Verb (2)

variant of hawk entry 3

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

circa 1625, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

1878, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (2)

1990, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hock

• in hock

Kids Definition

hock

1 of 3 noun

ˈhäk 

1

: the region in the hind limb of a four-footed animal (as the horse) that corresponds to the human ankle

2

: a small cut of meat from either the front or hind leg just above the foot especially of a pig

ham hocks

hock

2 of 3 verb

: pawn entry 3

hock

3 of 3 noun

: pawn entry 2 sense 2

got the ring out of hock

Etymology

Noun

Old English hōh "heel"

Noun

from Dutch hok "pen, prison"

Medical Definition

hock

noun

ˈhäk 

: the joint or region of the joint that unites the tarsal bones in the hind limb of a digitigrade quadruped (as the horse) and that corresponds to the human ankle but is elevated and bends backward