Hanks

/hæŋks/ noun

Definition

Coils or loops of rope, string, yarn, or thread; thick lengths of something wound together.

Etymology

From Old Norse 'hankr' (loop, coil). The word entered English around 1400s and has maintained the meaning of wound or coiled materials throughout its history.

Kelly Says

Before modern measurement, rope and yarn were sold in standardized hanks of specific lengths—a hank of yarn traditionally contained exactly 560 yards!

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