FromMiddle Englishnokke, attested since the 14th century, probably from a Scandinavian/North Germanic language (compareSwedishnock(“notch”), but compareDutchnok, fromMiddle Dutchnocke(“tip, point”). Both could be related tonook(“corner, recess”).[1]
nock (pluralnocks)
- Either of the two grooves in abow that hold thebowstring.
- (archery) Thenotch at the rear of anarrow that fits on the bowstring.
[1611?],Homer, “(please specify |book=I to XXIV)”, inGeo[rge] Chapman, transl.,The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter,→OCLC; republished asThe Iliads of Homer, Prince of Poets, […], new edition, volume(please specify the book number), London:Charles Knight and Co., […],1843,→OCLC:He took his arrow by thenock.- The spelling has been modernized.
- (nautical) The upper fore corner of aboom sail ortrysail.
the notch at the rear of an arrow
nock (third-person singular simple presentnocks,present participlenocking,simple past and past participlenocked)
- (transitive) Tofit (anarrow) against thebowstring of abow orcrossbow.(See alsonotch(verb).)
- (transitive) To cut a nock in (usually in an arrow's base or the tips of a bow).
nock
- (archery) fit the arrow to your bowstring
nock (pluralnocks)
- Misspelling ofknock.
Borrowed fromMiddle Low Germannok,nokke. Cognate ofDutchnok. Likely cognate ofIcelandichnokki. Compare origin ofnocka,nucka.
nock c
- ridge (of aroof)
- (mechanics)tappet
- (archery)nock
- (nautical)end (of ayard,arm,boom, orgaff)
