At pawn shops, why do we "hock" things?
Question
Why is it when someone takes something to a pawn shop, is it known as "hocking"?
Barbara, Queen's Park
Answer
** Definitive **
Name: David, Beddington
Qualification: Corporate linguist
Answer: It goes back a long way, to the 15th century where there was Hock Tuesday on which the women of the village used to grab the men and tie them up. They then demanded a ransom, which was paid to a church organisation. Later on, there was a Hock Monday, which was reversed and the men tied up the women! It was a form of merriment and fundraising more than anything else.