hack

hack¹

verb

1》 cut with rough or heavy blows.

2》 kick wildly or roughly.

3》 use a computer to gain unauthorized access to data.

    ↘program quickly and roughly.

4》 [usu. with negative] (hack it) informal manage; cope.

5》 (hack someone off) informal annoy someone.

6》 (hack around) N. Amer. informal pass one's time idly.

noun

1》 a rough cut or blow.

2》 a tool for rough striking or cutting.

3》 informal an act of computer hacking.

Phrases

hacking cough a dry, frequent cough.

Derivatives

hacker noun

Origin

OE haccian 'cut in pieces', of W. Gmc origin.

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hack²

noun

1》 a writer producing dull, unoriginal work.

    ↘a person who does dull routine work.

2》 a horse for ordinary riding.

    ↘an inferior or worn-out horse.

    ↘a horse let out for hire.

    ↘a ride on a horse.

3》 N. Amer. a taxi.

verb [usu. as noun hacking] ride a horse.

Derivatives

hackery noun

Origin

ME: abbrev. of hackney.

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hack³

noun

1》 Falconry a board on which a hawk's meat is laid.

2》 a wooden frame for drying bricks, cheeses, etc.

Phrases

at hack (of a young hawk) not yet allowed to hunt for itself.

Origin

ME (denoting the lower half of a divided door): var. of hatch¹.