Dialect or informal verb meaning to chew or gnaw persistently.
From Middle English, possibly imitative or onomatopoetic in origin, related to 'champ' and 'chomp.'
Onomatopoetic words like 'chank' are among the oldest types of words in any language—they mimic real sounds, which is why dogs 'chank' on bones in English but 'mastican' in Italian!
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