حَنَكٌ

The part beneath the chin [and lower jaw], (S, Mgh,) of a man &c.: (S:) or [the palate, or soft palate;] the interior of the upper part of the inside of the mouth, (K, TA,) of a man and of a beast: (TA:) and the lower part, from the extremity of the fore part of the two jaws, (K,) below these: (TA:) or the roof of the upper part of the mouth, (Zj in his “ Khalk el-Insán, ” El-Ghooree, Mgh, TA,) from which depends the لَهَاة [or uvula]: (Zj ubi suprà:) and also applied to the two jaws: (TA:) or, according to IAar, the حَنَك is the lower part of the mouth, [beneath the lower jaw,] and the فقم is the upper part: and the حَنَكَانِ are the upper and the lower: (Th, Az, Mgh, TA:) but حَنَكٌ is scarcely ever applied to the upper alone: [this article, however, shows instances in which it is thus applied:] (Az, TA:) it is masculine: (Msb:) plural أَحْنَاكٌ, (Msb, K,) which is its only plural form. (TA.) Sometimes, [as is often the case in modern Arabic,] The mouth is meant thereby. ('Ináyeh. MF.) And The beak: (S, 'Ináyeh:) حَنَكُ الغُرَابَ signifying the beak of the crow, or raven: or the blackness thereof: (K:) or the blackness of its feathers: (Er-Rághib, TA:) [whence the saying,] أَسْوَدُ مِثْلُ حَنَكِ الغُرَابِ, (S,) or مِنْ حَنَكِ الغُرَابِ; respecting which see حَلَكٌ. (TA.)

And (tropical:) A party of men seeking after herbage in a district, or country, to pasture [their animals] upon it: (K, TA:) plural أَحْنَاكٌ. (TA.) You say, مَا تَرَكَ الأَحْنَاكُ فِى أَرْضِنَا شَيْيءًا, meaning (tropical:) The parties of men passing [in search of herbage left not in our land anything]. (TA.)