PLANK

A broad piece of sawed timber, differing from a board only in being thicker. See Board.

Fig.: That which supports or upholds, as a board does a swimmer. His charity is a better plank than the faith of an intolerant and bitter-minded bigot. Southey.

One of the separate articles in a declaration of the principles of a party or cause; as, a plank in the national platform. [Cant] Plank road, or Plank way, a road surface formed of planks. [U.S.] -- To walk the plank, to walk along a plank laid across the bulwark of a ship, until one overbalances it and falls into the sea; -- a method of disposing of captives practiced by pirates.

To cover or lay with planks; as, to plank a floor or a ship. "Planked with pine." Dryden.

To lay down, as on a plank or table; to stake or pay cash; as, to plank money in a wager. [Colloq. U.S.]

To harden, as hat bodies, by felting.

To splice together the ends of slivers of wool, for subsequent drawing. Planked shad, shad split open, fastened to a plank, and roasted before a wood fire.