I. ˈhäk noun
Etymology: Middle English hoch, hough, from Old English hōh heel; akin to Old Norse hāsin hock
Date: 1540
1.
a. : the tarsal joint or region in the hind limb of a digitigrade quadruped (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 hock s
II. noun
Usage: often capitalized
Etymology: modification of German Hochheimer, from Hochheim, Germany
Date: circa 1625
chiefly British : Rhine wine 1
III. transitive verb
Etymology: hock (IV)
Date: 1878
: pawn
• hock·er noun
IV. noun
Etymology: Dutch hok pen, prison
Date: 1883
1.
a. : pawn II,2
got his watch out of hock
b. : debt 3
in hock to the bank
2. : prison