shank
n. countable C2 Proficiency US //ˈʃæŋk// UK //ʃˈæŋk// shank
n. a homemade knife or sharp tool used as a weapon, usually in a prison. It is also a verb that means to stab someone with this kind of weapon.
n. an improvised sharp-edged or pointed weapon, typically fashioned in a prison environment. Often used metonymically to refer to the act of stabbing itself.
The guards found a hidden shank during the cell inspection.
In many prison movies, a character might fashion a shank out of a sharpened toothbrush or a piece of scrap metal.
The tension in the yard spiked after rumors circulated that a rival gang member had been caught carrying a crude shank during the morning exercise period.
Usage
Commonly used in the context of correctional facilities or street slang; as a verb, it is transitive.