Yank

Pronunciation: /jæŋk/

Definitions of yank

noun a sudden hard pull

Example Sentences

A1 He gave the rope a hard yank to pull the door open.

A2 The child let out a yank on his mother's hand to get her attention.

B1 She felt a sudden yank on her backpack as someone tried to steal it.

B2 The mechanic used a tool to give the stubborn bolt a strong yank.

C1 With one swift yank, he tore the poster off the wall.

C2 The yank of the fishing line signaled a big catch for the angler.

verb to pull with a quick, sharp movement

Example Sentences

A1 He tried to yank the door open, but it was locked.

A2 She yanked the weeds out of the garden with all her strength.

B1 The angry customer yanked the phone out of the salesperson's hand.

B2 The referee yanked the player off the field for unsportsmanlike conduct.

C1 The detective yanked the suspect into the interrogation room for questioning.

C2 The conductor yanked the emergency brake to stop the train in time.

Examples of yank in a Sentence

formal The surgeon had to yank out the tumor in order to save the patient's life.

informal I had to yank on the door handle to get it to open.

slang He yanked his friend's chain by telling a ridiculous story.

figurative The sudden gust of wind yanked the umbrella out of her hand.

Grammatical Forms of yank

• past tense: yanked
• plural: yanks
• comparative: more yank
• superlative: most yank
• present tense: yank
• future tense: will yank
• perfect tense: have yanked
• continuous tense: is yanking
• singular: yank
• positive degree: yank
• infinitive: to yank
• gerund: yanking
• participle: yanking

Origin and Evolution of yank

First Known Use: 1781 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The word 'yank' originated as a slang term used by British soldiers during the American Revolutionary War to refer to American colonists.

Evolution of the word: Over time, 'yank' came to specifically refer to people from the United States, and later became a colloquial term for Americans in general. It has also been used as a verb to describe pulling or tugging forcefully.