Hock (Verb)
Meaning 1
Disable by cutting the hock.
Classification
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care.
Examples
- The poachers would often hock the elephants' legs to hinder their movement and make them easier to capture.
- As a last resort, the rancher may have to hock the escaped bull to stop it from roaming into neighboring fields.
- In medieval times, some armies would hock the horses of the enemy to disable their cavalry.
- The trappers hocked the deer to weaken it before moving in for the kill.
- The fleeing livestock was hocked by the farmer to prevent it from getting into the neighbor's crops.
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
Leave as a guarantee in return for money; "pawn your grandfather's gold watch".
Classification
Verbs of buying, selling, owning.
Examples
- She decided to hock her family heirloom to pay off some debts.
- He went to the pawn shop to hock his wife's diamond ring for cash.
- The couple had to hock their car to fund their failing business.
- Unable to find another solution, John hocked his grandfather's old violin.
- During the economic downturn, many people were forced to hock their valuables to survive.