1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. He has a hank upon him, or the Ascendant over him. 1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v. He has a hank upon him; He ... will make him do what he pleases. 1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. He has a hank on him, i.e., an ascendant over him, or a hold upon him: A Smithfield hank = An ox rendered furious by over driving and barbarous treatment. 1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Hank. To know something about a man that is disreputable. He has a hank on the bloke, whereby he sucks honey when he chooses, he knows something about the man, and therefore induces him to give him money when he chooses. 2. (common).—A spell of rest; an easy time. 1888. Sporting Life, 7 Dec. So quiet was the first round that the ire of the company was raised, and they called out, ‘No hank!’ Verb (common).—To worry; to bait; to drive from pillar to post. Hanker, verb (old: now recognised).—To desire eagerly; to fret after; to long or pine for: generally with ‘after.’ Also, Hankering (subs.) = an importunate and irritating longing. 1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hanker after, to Long or wish much for. 1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v. 1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. To hanker after anything, to have a longing after or for it. 1847. Robb, Squatter Life, p. 98. I did see a creatur’ once, named Sofy Mason ... that I tuk an orful hankerin’ arter. 1878. Whitman, Leaves of Grass, ‘Spontaneous Me,’ 90 (ed. 1884). The hairy wild-bee that murmurs and hankers up and down. Hankin, subs. (commercial).—The trick of putting off bad work for good. [Cf., To play hankey, or To play hanky-panky.] Hanktelo, subs. (old).—See quots. 1593. Nashe, Strange Newes (Grosart, Wks., ii., 251). Is the Astrologicaall Discourse a better booke than Pierce Pennilesse? Gabriel Hangtelow saies it is? 1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hanktelo, a silly Fellow, a meer Cods-head. 1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v. 1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hanky-Panky, subs. (common).—(1) Legerdemain; whence (2) trickery; underhand (q.v.) work; cheating; any manner of double-dealing or intrigue. Hanky-panky business = conjuring; hanky-panky work (or tricks) = double-dealing. A bit of hanky-panky = a trick; a piece of knavery. 1841. Punch, Vol. I., p. 88. Only a little hanky-panky. 1880. G. R. Sims, Zeph, ch. xiii. He knew that ... any crime committed on his premises would tell against him on licensing day, and he kept a pretty sharp look out to see that what he was pleased to term hanky panky was not carried on under his nose. 1864. E. Yates, Broken to Harness, ch. xxxviii. If there was any hanky panky, any mystery I mean, he’d always swear he was out whenever he called, for fear it should be bullied out of him.