verb / noun

hock

HAHK/hˈɑk/

Pledging property for a loan or being in debt.

The customer hocks the guitar and later returns to reclaim it.

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.

Etymology

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.

More examples

The watch was in hock.
They hocked several possessions.
He is hocking his spare equipment.

Forms

hock · hocks · hocked · hocking

Similar words

pawn: The more neutral term for pledging property for a loan.
borrow: Obtains money without necessarily pledging an item.