hank

hank
    n 1: a coil of rope or wool or yarn
    

Hank \Hank\, v. t.
   1. [OE. hanken.] To fasten with a rope, as a gate. [Prov.
      Eng.] --Wright.
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   2. To form into hanks.
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Hank \Hank\ (h[a^][ng]k), n. [Cf. Dan. hank handle, Sw. hank a
   band or tie, Icel. hanki hasp, clasp, h["o]nk, hangr, hank,
   coil, skein, G. henkel, henk, handle; all probably akin to E.
   hang. See {Hang}.]
   1. A parcel consisting of two or more skeins of yarn or
      thread tied together.
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   2. A rope or withe for fastening a gate. [Prov. Eng.]
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   3. Hold; influence.
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            When the devil hath got such a hank over him. --Bp.
                                                  Sanderson.
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   4. (Naut.) A ring or eye of rope, wood, or iron, attached to
      the edge of a sail and running on a stay.
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   5. (Wrestling) A throw in which a wrestler turns his left
      side to his opponent, twines his left leg about his
      opponent's right leg from the inside, and throws him
      backward.
      [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
    

21 Moby Thesaurus words for "hank":
      animal fiber, artificial fiber, capillament, cilium, cirrus,
      cobweb, denier, fiber, fibrilla, filament, filamentule, flagellum,
      gossamer, hair, skein, strand, suture, tendril, thread, threadlet,
      web