by shank's mare

By one's legs and feet, used for walking; by foot. A reference to the shank—the lower leg between the knee and the ankle—and the use of ponies or horses for travel. (Also written as "shanks' mare.") My bicycle fell apart three miles away from home, so I had to go the rest of the way by shank's mare. Unfortunately, with the sedentary lifestyle many lead today, travel by shank's mare has largely become obsolete. It'll take us forever to get there by shank's mare! Can't you give us a ride?

go by shank's mare

To travel by foot. A play on the "shank" (the lower leg between the knee and the ankle) and the use of ponies or horses for travel. An adverb of place can be used between "go" and "by" to specify where one is traveling. My bicycle fell apart in the middle of nowhere, so I had to go home by shank's mare. There aren't any roads out here in the countryside, so going by shank's mare is the only option. It'll take us forever if we have to go by shank's mare! Can't you give us a ride?

on shank's pony

On foot; walking. Also seen as "on shanks' pony" or "on shanks's pony." A reference to the shank—the lower leg between the knee and the ankle—and the historical use of ponies or horses for travel. My bicycle fell apart three miles away from home, so I had to go the rest of the way on shank's pony. Unfortunately, with the sedentary lifestyle many lead today, fewer and fewer people go anywhere on shanks' pony.

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.

shank

1. noun, slang A homemade or makeshift cutting or stabbing weapon, especially one fashioned in prison. He was sentenced to a further 15 years for murdering another prisoner with a shank fashioned from a razor blade and a toothbrush. I always kept a shank hidden in my cell in case anyone tried to order a hit on me from the outside.

2. verb, slang To stab or cut (someone) with such a weapon. She said she was going to shank the new inmate for her allegiance to the rival gang. I got shanked during the prison riot, but thankfully it didn't do any serious damage.

shank it

1. To travel (to some place) on foot. The front tire of my bicycle was totally smashed, so I had to shank it all the way back home.

2. In golf, to strike the ball with the very back of the club rather than its face, causing the ball to veer off in the wrong direction at a sharp angle. He had set himself up to win the tournament, but when he shanked it on the last hole, he new his chance was gone.

3. By extension, to cause any ball to travel in the wrong direction as a result of a misplaced kick or strike. It should have been an easy field goal, but I saw the defensive player rushing toward me and I ended up shanking it to the right of the goal post.

shank's mare

One's legs and feet, used for walking; travel by foot. A reference to the shank— the lower leg between the knee and the ankle—and the use of ponies or horses for travel. (Also seen as "shanks' mare.") My bicycle fell apart three miles away from home, so I had to use shank's mare to go the rest of the way. Unfortunately, with the sedentary lifestyle many lead today, shank's mare has largely become an obsolete mode of travel.

See also: mare

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.

the shank of the evening

colloquial, dated The origin and precise meaning of the phrase is not certain, hence the contradictory nature of the definitions.

1. The latter part of the evening, between sunset and dark; dusk. Well, it's getting to be the shank of the evening. I should probably start heading home before it gets too dark out.

2. The early or main portion of the evening. There's plenty of time to get this done—we still have the shank of the evening ahead of us.

3. The best or more exciting part of something, especially a party, held in the evening. A: "Hey, you can't leave now! It's only the shank of the evening!" B: "I know things are just getting good here, but I have to be up early tomorrow!"

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?

See also: mare

on Shanks's pony

using your own legs as a means of transport.

Shanks (from the Old English word sceanca , ‘leg bone’) is now used as an informal term for ‘legs’. The original form of the expression was on Shanks's mare .

(on) Shanks’s ˈpony

(British English, informal) walking, rather than travelling by car, bus, etc.; on foot: ‘How are we going to get there?’ ‘I suppose it’ll have to be Shanks’s pony.’ ♢ You young people go everywhere by car these days. When I was young all we had was Shanks’s pony.

Shanks is an informal word for your legs.

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.

See also: mare

shank of the evening

Twilight, dusk. This expression uses shank in the sense of “latter part of ” or “end of,” a usage rare except in this phrase. The earliest citation in the OED is from 1828. P. G. Wodehouse used it in Pearls, Girls, and Monty Bodkin (1972), “‘It’s very late.’—‘Shank of the evening.’”

shank's mare

On foot, walking. This quaint expression dates from the second half of the eighteenth century, the shank here alluding to the leg. Also put as to ride shank’s mare, it continues to be used, although it may be heard less often. The Cleveland Plain Dealer had it (Oct. 26, 1974): “The people who came to the Barons-Rangers game that night long ago came by streetcar and bus and by shank’s mare as well as by auto.”

See also: mare

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.

See also: mare

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