Characters remaining: 500/500
Translation

hank panky

Academic
Friendly

Word: Hanky Panky

Part of Speech: Noun

Basic Definition: "Hanky panky" refers to playful or mischievous behavior, and in a more specific context, it can mean illicit sexual activity or sexual behavior that is considered inappropriate or secretive.

Usage Instructions:
  • "Hanky panky" is often used in informal conversations.
  • It can refer to both innocent playful behavior and more serious, secretive sexual activities, depending on the context.
Example Sentences:
  1. Innocent Context: "The kids were up to some hanky panky in the backyard, playing games and laughing."
  2. Illicit Context: "The rumors about their hanky panky made the whole town gossip."
Advanced Usage:

In more advanced discussions, "hanky panky" can be used metaphorically to describe any behavior that is sneaky or questionable. For example: - "The company's accounting practices were filled with hanky panky, leading to an investigation."

Word Variants:
  • There are no direct variants of "hanky panky," but it is sometimes used in phrases like "hanky-panky business."
Different Meanings:
  • While it primarily refers to playful or sexual behavior, in a broader sense, it can also imply any kind of trickery or deceitful behavior.
Synonyms:
  • For playful behavior: Mischief, monkey business, shenanigans.
  • For sexual context: Infidelity, illicit relations, affair.
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:
  • There are no specific idioms or phrasal verbs that directly relate to "hanky panky," but it can be associated with phrases like "playing around" when referring to casual relationships.
Note:

When using "hanky panky," be mindful of the context, as it can be light-hearted in some situations but serious in others.

Noun
  1. illicit sexual intercourse

Similar Spellings

Comments and discussion on the word "hank panky"