- Home
- Idioms
- shank
shank
shank's nag
One's legs and feet, used for walking; travel by foot. Also "shanks' nag." A reference to the shank— the lower leg between the knee and the ankle—and the use of ponies or horses for travel. My bicycle fell apart three miles away from home, so I had to use shank's nag to go the rest of the way. Unfortunately, with the sedentary lifestyle many lead today, shank's nag has largely become an obsolete mode of travel.
shank's pony
One's legs and feet, used for walking; travel by foot. Also "shanks' pony." A reference to the shank—the lower leg between the knee and the ankle—and the use of ponies or horses for travel. My bicycle fell apart three miles away from home, so I had to use shank's pony to go the rest of the way. Unfortunately, with the sedentary lifestyle many lead today, shank's pony has largely become an obsolete mode of travel.
ride shanks' mare
To walk. "Shanks" refers to one's legs. The store is close enough that we don't need to drive, we can just ride shanks' mare.
by shank's mare
Fig. by foot; by walking. (Shank refers to the shank of the leg.) My car isn't working, so I'll have to travel by shank's mare. I'm sore because I've been getting around by shank's mare.
shank it
Sl. to use one's legs to get somewhere; to walk. My car needs fixing so I had to shank it to work today. I like to shank it every now and then.
shank's mare
Fig. travel on foot. You'll find that shank's mare is the quickest way to get across town. Is there a bus, or do I have to use shank's mare?
Shanks's pony
(British, American & Australian old-fashioned) also Shank's mare (American old-fashioned) walking as a method of travel I missed the last bus and had to get home on Shanks's pony.
shank
1. n. a knife; a homemade knife. (Possibly named for a bone handle.) The mugger pulled a shank on the victim.
2. in. to dance. (This shank refers to a leg bone.) They were busy shankin’ and didn’t hear the gunshots.
shank it
tv. to use one’s legs to get somewhere; to walk. My car needs fixing so I had to shank it to work today.
shank’s mare
n. foot travel. (Old. Lacking a horse, one uses the legs. This does not refer to a person named shank.) You’ll find that shank’s mare is the quickest way to get across town.
shank's mare
Walking. “Shank” is another word for shinbone. By extension, its use in the phase refers to our legs. “Mare” here is equine transport, and when we walk, we “ride” on shank's mare.