yank

Everyday

1. To yank something is to pull it suddenly and hard. tree →
2. A yank is one quick, strong pull. tree →
3. Yank (with a capital Y) is an informal, sometimes rude word some people use for a person from the USA. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life and stories it shows a fast, rough pull, often done in a hurry, in anger or in an emergency: «yank open the door», «yank out a tooth», «yank the plug out». In safety lessons pupils learn not to yank cables or pull a friend's chair away. In science (forces) a yank is a sudden pull force.

Examples

• She yanked the door open and ran outside. tree →
• The dog yanked on its lead when it saw a cat. tree →
• Don't yank the charger out of the wall by the cable. tree →
• With one yank, the weed came out of the ground. tree →
• Dad gave the rope a yank to start the lawnmower. tree →
• He yanked his hand back from the hot pan. tree →
• The loose tooth came out with a gentle yank. tree →

Note

Regular verb: yank, yanked, yanking. Countable noun: a yank, two yanks. Stronger and quicker than «pull» or «tug». «Yank» for an American person is slang and can sound unfriendly, so pupils should avoid it.