Etymology: Origin uncertain. Compare Dutch nok (1567 in Junius as nocke in sense ‘groove, incision in an arrow where the bowstring runs’), German Nocke notch, nut of crossbow, Swedish nock small hook or notch in the upper end of a distaff through which the yarn runs (c1600), groove cut into a building timber, the peg it receives (mid 16th cent.), although all of these are first recorded later than the English word and may be ultimately from or after it. Compare nock n.², nock n.³, and also nick n.¹, notch n. (see discussion below).Perhaps further related to Germanic forms cited s.v. nock n.², nock n.³, and nockerl n. (although the nature of any relationship is unclear), and perhaps ultimately with Celtic forms s.v. knock n.² Perhaps compare also the (perhaps Middle Low German) forms noh , nok in the sense ‘channel, gutter’, attested in multilingual glossaries (although with these compare Old French, Middle French noc in the same sense (1220), probably ultimately < classical Latin nāvis ship: see nave n.²). This word corresponds closely in form and sense with both nick n.¹ and notch n., although no etymological relationship with either word has been established. The gloss ‘the nocke [or nock] of a bow’ is given by Florio (1598) for Italian nocca knuckle, nocchia hazelnut, nocco difficulty, and nocchio protuberance, knot in wood, all apparently erroneously. With sense 2b compare the form noc , recorded by Cotgrave as French back-slang for Middle French, French con in the same sense (second half of the 15th cent.; compare coney n.¹):1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues at Noc Con, Turned backward (as our Tnuc) to be the lesse offensiue to chast eares.

Etymology: Origin uncertain. Analogous nautical senses appear in several Germanic languages, but the order of borrowing among them is unknown, as is the relationship with other senses attested for the same word form (compare also nock n.¹, nock n.³). Compare West Frisian nok tip of a yardarm, top corner of a sail, Dutch nok extremity of a spar that does not stand vertically on a ship (mid 17th cent.), each of the two corners of a four-sided sail between the yard and one of the standing spars (19th cent.; compare Middle Dutch nocke peak or top beam of a roof (15th cent.)), Low German Nock topmost part of a gaff, part of a sail, German Nock end of a yard (16th cent.; also in sense ‘end of a sail’), Icelandic hnokki end of a yard, tip of a sail on a yard, Norwegian nokke yardarm, Swedish nock end of a yard, boom, or gaff (early 18th cent.; end of the 17th cent. in compound rånock in same sense), upper corner on a sail (late 19th cent.; compare Swedish nock groove cut into a building timber, the peg it receives (mid 16th cent.: see nock n.¹), Danish nok, nokke end of a round timber, peg in a beam (a1700 or earlier)).

Etymology: Probably < the early Scandinavian base of Icelandic hnokki small hook through which the fibre runs in a spinning wheel (17th cent.), Norwegian nokke small hook on a spindle, Swedish nock small hook or notch in the upper end of a distaff through which the yarn runs, upper end of a distaff (c1600; mid 16th cent. compounds with reference to textiles), early modern Danish nokke hook on a distaff, perhaps further related to Germanic forms cited s.vv. nock n.¹, nock n.²

Etymology: < nock n.¹