Standard Lemma guide

sheepshank

noun · verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈʃiːpʃæŋk/
  • Received-Pronunciation: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˈʃipˌʃæŋk/

1

noun

Meaning 1

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: nautical, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To shorten (a rope) using a sheepshank knot.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a knot for shortening a line

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: knot

History

Etymology

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.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: възел за скъсяване на въже (vǎzel za skǎsjavane na vǎže) — type of knot
  • Dutch: trompetsteek — type of knot
  • Finnish: lyhennyssolmu — type of knot
  • Finnish: trumpettisolmu — type of knot
  • French: nœud de jambe de chien — type of knot
  • Russian: узел камикадзе (uzel kamikadze) — type of knot
  • Swedish: trumpetstek — type of knot
  • Bulgarian: скъсявам (skǎsjavam) — to shorten (a rope) using a sheepshank knot