hok

pen, jail; credit, debt

1 / 1

Two linked scenes repeat the same customer and pawnbroker: customer temporarily exchanges a guitar for cash and a plain matching claim ticket, then returns cash and retrieves the same guitar; pawning rather than permanent sale, no prices or advice.

verb / noun

hock

HAHK/hˈɑk/

Pledging property for a loan or being in debt.

Etymology

hockDutchpen, jail; credit, debt

Dutch hok meant a pen or jail and, in slang, credit or debt. English in hock likewise referred to debt or prison; the verb then came to mean pawning something.

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hock