hanky-pank
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Forms: form: hanky-panks
Etymology: Clipping of hanky-panky
Senses: examples: text: He was interested at once, and also at once made proclamation that all such performances were "hanky-pank," and that he could duplicate any of them.
ref: 1920, William Dunseath Eaton, Spirit Life: Or, Do We Die?, page 264:
text: In specific explanation of Kaplan's wire of 10:30, Long testified that Kaplan returned his call shortly before 10:30 and that, after reviewing the developments beginning with Babcock's wire to Kaplan the previous afternoon, he and Kaplan concluded that there was some “hanky-pank going on” looking toward “instigat[ion of] a suit,” and that because of these “fears, ' Attorney Kaplan, without either of them knowing that Babcock had canceled Robertson's contract, sent Babcock the previously quoted wire concerning the Union's purpose in picketing.
ref: 1972, Decisions and Orders of the National Labor Relations Board:
text: Defendant attempted through cross-examination of Rossman and prosecutrix to discover the activities in the Rossman vehicle prior to prosecutrix leaving that vehicle. Defendant was not permitted to ask Rossman whether any “hanky-pank” had gone on in the Rossman vehicle.
ref: 1973, North western reporter. Second series. N.W. 2d. Cases argued and determined in the courts of Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin:
text: After two years of hanky pank she got the mumps.
ref: 2000, Mitchell Rosnov, Black Magic, →ISBN, page 108:
glosses: Synonym of hanky-panky.
synonyms: word: hanky-panky
examples: text: That means if you book a couple of games of hanky pank, I'll allow you to book an alibi with them so if the kids win something we will rip off dad, that seems fair.
ref: 1981, California Legislature. Joint Committee on Fairs Allocation and Classification, Meeting, California State Legislature, Joint Committee on Fairs Allocation and Classification:
text: The carny's goal is to get you to keep playing the game, and plunking down cash, until you get enough credits to trade up to a better prize. For this reason, hanky-panks are commonly referred to as trade-ups. The classic hanky-pank is Duck Pond (sometimes played as Fish Pond).
ref: 2003, Bret Witter, Carnival Undercover, page 88:
text: Not everything was a flattie. "This here 'Fish the Bottle' is hanky-pank," Tommy noted, which in the carney's twisted lingo meant it was honest.
ref: 2008, Darryl Wimberley, Kaleidoscope, page 96:
text: They had closed up their hanky-panks, grab-joints, pitch-and-dunks, pokerino parlours, had turned off the lights and killed the music and folded up the gaudy glamour.
ref: 2012, Dean Koontz, Twilight Eyes, →ISBN:
glosses: A carnival game which guarantees a winner.
examples: text: ... him that that was none of his dad-blamed hanky-pank business, although I ached to tell him that and several other things.
ref: 1906, The Postal Record - Volume 19, page 210:
text: Look here," said Jones ; " I don't want to be rude, but none of your hanky-pank."
ref: 1911, The Motor Car Journal - Volume 13, page 613:
text: “What's Chub trying to invent now?” queried Bob, as he and Susie started around the house on the trail of Perkins. “I think it's smokeless powder,” replied Susie. “Great hanky-pank!” gasped Bob.
ref: 1909 -, Donald Grayson -, Bob Steele's Motor Cycle: Or, True to His Friends, page 13:
glosses: A nonce word.