Hock

As a noun, 'hock' primarily refers to the joint in the hind leg of a four-legged animal, particularly horses and cattle. Figuratively, it can mean to pawn or pledge something. As a verb, 'hock' means to pawn something, to leave something temporarily as collateral for a loan, or to discard something of little value. It is a rather old-fashioned term. The term can also refer to a type of sweet German wine, or to the joint of meat. It is important to distinguish between these meanings based on the context.

Hock meaning with examples

• The vet examined the horse's hock, concerned about a swelling that indicated a possible injury from their recent run. The farmer knew that proper care of a horse's hock was crucial for their overall performance. The dog's hind legs were noticeably stiff, and the hock appeared to be inflamed, worrying the owners.
• Desperate for cash, he had to hock his grandfather's antique pocket watch. The struggling artist was forced to hock her paintings to buy groceries. He decided to hock the family jewels. His brother told him he could hock it with his friend at the pawn shop. He knew that he'd later be regretting having to hock his prized possessions.
• He made a decision to hock his car in order to pay for the surgery. He had to hock his guitar until he could find a job. She would have to hock her jewelry to get enough money to pay the bills this month. Knowing he'd only get little money for it, he made the decision to hock his old car.
• The connoisseur savored the rich taste of the fine hock he ordered. They usually drank hock at Christmas dinner. It was the perfect pairing for the cheese platter, with the sweet hock in the center. They decided they'd hock after the meal to celebrate. A celebratory bottle of the sweet hock was ordered for the table.
• The butcher recommended roasting the hock, as it would make a rich, flavorful dish. The recipe called for slow-cooking the hock to tenderize it. She enjoyed the meat from the hock for the taste and affordability. He liked eating hock with the meat falling off the bone. The recipe needed the meat from the hock.