Plank (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Planked (?);
p. pr. & vb. n.
Planking.]
1. To cover or lay with planks; as, to plank a floor or a ship. "Planked with
pine." Dryden.
2.
To lay down, as on a plank or table; to stake or pay
cash; as, to
plank money in a wager. [Colloq. U.S.]
3. To
harden, as hat bodies, by felting.
4. (Wooden Manuf.) To splice together the ends of slivers of wool, for subsequent drawing.
Planked shad, shad split open, fastened to a plank, and roasted before a wood fire.
Plank (?), n. [OE.
planke, OF. planque, planche, F. planche, fr. L. planca;
cf. Gr. &?;, &?;, anything flat and broad. Cf. Planch.]
1. A broad
piece of sawed timber, differing from a board only
in being thicker. See Board.
2. Fig.: That which supports or upholds, as a board does a
swimmer.
His charity is a better
plank than the faith of
an intolerant and bitter-minded bigot.
Southey. 3. One of the separate articles in a declaration of the principles of a party or cause; as,
a plank in the national platform.
[Cant]
Plank road, or Plank way, a road surface formed of planks. [U.S.] -- To walk
the plank, to walk along
a plank laid across the bulwark of a ship, until one overbalances it and falls into the sea;
-- a method of disposing of captives practiced by pirates.
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