tanky
tan·ky
tanky · tankies
A sailor who assists the navigator of the shipA sailor who assists the navigator of the ship; a sailor in charge of the ship's hold, and thus responsible for the provision of rations and water.
/ˈtæŋki/
Meaning
2 senses(slang)A sailor who assists the navigator of the ship; a sailor in charge of the ship's hold, and thus responsible for the provision of rations and water.
(India)A storage tank, especially for water.
Origin
From tank + -y (diminutive suffix). The noun sense is from the fact that the assistant ofFrom tank + -y (diminutive suffix). The noun sense is from the fact that the assistant of the navigator of a ship was also in charge of the ship’s water tanks, and later its rations when refrigeration was introduced.
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