Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In India, an elephant-goad combining a sharp hook and a straight point or spike.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun India An elephant goad with a sharp spike and hook, resembling a short-handled boat hook.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The hooked goad that is used in India to control elephants.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an elephant goad with a sharp spike and a hook

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Hindi अंकुश (aṅkush), Persian انگیزه (angize), from Sanskrit अङ्क (aṅká).

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Examples

  • He prefers to call the training hooks by the Sanskrit-derived term ankus, meaning "goad," and compares them to dog collars.

    latimes.com - News 2010

  • He prefers to call the training hooks by the Sanskrit-derived term ankus, meaning "goad," and compares them to dog collars.

    latimes.com - News 2010

  • He saw, lying near the tank, one of the elephant goads -- "ankus" is the

    Joe Strong, the Boy Fish or Marvelous Doings in a Big Tank Vance Barnum

  • But his keeper gently pricked him with a sharp hook, called an "ankus," and to get away from the prick, which was like the bite of a big fly, Umboo stepped out and walked away.

    Umboo, the Elephant Howard Roger Garis 1917

  • Some groups, including the Born Free Foundation, have expressed concern at the safari park's use of the ankus a stick with a hook at one end and chains to control Anne, but the consensus seems to be that the safari park is better for Anne than any other option at the moment.

    Anne the elephant says goodbye to the circus 2011

  • He reached for something hanging on the wall, something I recognized: an ankus.

    To Fetch a Thief Spencer Quinn 2010

  • He touched where the point of the ankus hook pushed at the plastic.

    To Fetch a Thief Spencer Quinn 2010

  • “See what Forensics can find on the bat—a match to prints from the ankus would be nice.”

    To Fetch a Thief Spencer Quinn 2010

  • “See what Forensics can find on the bat—a match to prints from the ankus would be nice.”

    To Fetch a Thief Spencer Quinn 2010

  • Jocko saw him and jabbed with the ankus, but not quick enough.

    To Fetch a Thief Spencer Quinn 2010

Comments

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  • JM is thinking of making a new ankus - just in case the bus is late again.

    December 10, 2010

  • bullhook

    October 12, 2011