yank Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an American who lives in the North (especially during the American Civil War)
    Northerner; Yankee.
  2. noun an American (especially to non-Americans)
    Yankee-Doodle; Yankee.
  3. verb pull, or move with a sudden movement
    jerk.
    • He turned the handle and jerked the door open

WordNet

Yank noun
Etymology
Cf. Scot. yank a sudden and severe blow.
Definitions
  1. A jerk or twitch. Colloq. U. S.
Yank transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Yanked ; present participle & verbal noun Yanking
Definitions
  1. To twitch; to jerk. Colloq. U. S.
Yank noun
Definitions
  1. An abbreviation of Yankee. Slang

Webster 1913