junk

junk
junk1
/jungk/, n.
1. any old or discarded material, as metal, paper, or rags.
2. anything that is regarded as worthless, meaningless, or contemptible; trash.
3. old cable or cordage used when untwisted for making gaskets, swabs, oakum, etc.
4. Naut. Slang. See salt junk.
5. Baseball Slang. relatively slow, unorthodox pitches that are deceptive to the batter in movement or pace, as knuckleballs or forkballs.
v.t.
6. to cast aside as junk; discard as no longer of use; scrap.
adj.
7. cheap, worthless, unwanted, or trashy.
[1480-90; earlier jonke, of uncert. orig.]
Syn. 1, 2. rubbish, litter, debris, refuse.
junk2
/jungk/, n.
a seagoing ship with a traditional Chinese design and used primarily in Chinese waters, having square sails spread by battens, a high stern, and usually a flat bottom.
[1545-55; < Pg junco a kind of sailing vessel < Malay jong, said to be < dial. Chin (Xiamen) chûn; cf. Guangdong dial. syùhn, Chin chuán]
junk3
/jungk/, n. Slang.
narcotics, esp. heroin.
[1920-25; perh. special use of JUNK1]

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Classic Chinese sailing vessel of ancient unknown origin, still in wide use.

High-sterned, with a projecting bow, the junk carries up to five masts on which are set square sails consisting of panels of linen or matting flattened by bamboo strips. Each sail can be spread or closed at a pull, like a venetian blind. The massive rudder takes the place of a keel. Chinese junks were sailing to Indonesian and Indian waters by the early Middle Ages.

Modern junk with traditional matting sails and a European-type jib

BBC Hulton Picture Library

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▪ ship
      classic Chinese sailing vessel of ancient unknown origin, still in wide use. High-sterned, with projecting bow, the junk carries up to five masts on which are set square sails (square sail) consisting of panels of linen or matting flattened by bamboo strips. Each sail can be spread or closed at a pull, like a venetian blind. The massive rudder takes the place of a keel, or centreboard. The hull is partitioned by solid bulkheads running both transversely and longitudinally, adding greatly to strength. Chinese junks sailed to Indonesian and Indian waters by the early Middle Ages.

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Universalium. 2010.

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