1. Plural of hockshop; shops or establishments that lend money in exchange for personal property left as security (pawnshops).
Usage: chiefly British; informal; dated

Examples

• In the 1950s, hockshops were common in working-class neighborhoods.
• He pawned his watch at one of the local hockshops to pay his rent.
• The old hockshops on the high street have mostly closed down.
• People would visit hockshops when they needed quick cash.
• Several hockshops operated in that district during the post-war period.