Hack

Pronunciation

• IPA: /hæk/
• Rhymes: -æk

From Old English tohaccian ("hack to pieces")

Full definition of hack

Verb

1. (transitive) To chop or cut down in a rough manner. circa 12th c.They hacked the brush down and made their way through the jungle.
• 1912: Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan of the Apes, Chapter 6Among other things he found a sharp hunting knife, on the keen blade of which he immediately proceeded to cut his finger. Undaunted he continued his experiments, finding that he could hack and hew splinters of wood from the table and chairs with this new toy.
2. (intransitive) To cough noisily. 19th c.This cold is awful. I can't stop hacking.
3. To withstand or put up with a difficult situation. 20th c.Can you hack it out here with no electricity or running water?
4. (transitive, slang, computing) To hack into; to gain unauthorized access to (a computer system, e.g., a website, or network) by manipulating code; to crack.
5. (transitive, slang, computing) By extension, to gain unauthorised access to a computer or online account belonging to (a person or organisation).When I logged into the social network, I discovered I'd been hacked.
6. (computing) To accomplish a difficult programming task.He can hack like no one else and make the program work as expected.
7. (computing) To make a quick code change to patch a computer program, often one that is inelegant or that makes the program harder to maintain.I hacked in a fix for this bug, but we'll still have to do a real fix later.
8. To work on an intimately technical level.I'm currently hacking distributed garbage collection.
9. (ice hockey) To strike an opponent's leg with one's hockey stick.He's going to the penalty box after hacking the defender in front of the goal.
10. (ice hockey) To make a flailing attempt to hit the puck with a hockey stick.There's a scramble in front of the net as the forwards are hacking at the bouncing puck.
11. (baseball) To swing at a pitched ball.He went to the batter's box hacking.
12. To strike in a frantic movement.
• 2010, December 29, Chris Whyatt, Chelsea 1 - 0 Bolton, Centre-back Branislav Ivanovic then took a wild slash at the ball but his captain John Terry saved Chelsea's skin by hacking the ball clear for a corner with Kevin Davies set to strike from just six yards out.

Derived terms

Synonyms

• (gain unauthorized access) crack
• frob
• tweak

Noun

1. A tool for chopping. 14th c.
2. A hacking blow. 19th c.
3. A gouge or notch made by such a blow.
4. A dry cough.
5. (figuratively) A try, an attempt. 19th c.
6. (curling) The foothold traditionally cut into the ice from which the person who throws the rock pushes off for delivery.
7. (obsolete) A mattock or a miner's pick.
8. (computing, slang) An illegal attempt to gain access to a computer network.
9. (computing) An interesting technical achievement, particularly in computer programming.
10. (computing) A small code change meant to patch a problem as quickly as possible.
11. (computing) An expedient, temporary solution, meant to be replaced with a more elegant solution at a later date.
12. (slang, military) Time check.
13. (baseball) A swing of the bat at a pitched ball by the batter.He took a few hacks, but the pitcher finally struck him out.
14. A hacking; a catch in speaking; a short, broken cough.
15. A kick on the shins in football.

Synonyms

• (access attempt) crack
• (expedient, temporary solution) band-aid, contrivance, improvision, improvisation, kludge, makeshift, quick fix, patch

Related terms

• marginal hacks

Variations of hatch, heck.

Noun

1. (falconry) A board which the falcon's food is placed on; used by extension for the state of partial freedom in which they are kept before being trained.
2. A food-rack for cattle.
3. A rack used to dry something, such as bricks, fish, or cheese.
4. A grating in a mill race.

Verb

1. To lay (bricks) on a rack to dry.
2. (falconry) To keep (young hawks) in a state of partial freedom, before they are trained.

Abbreviation of hackney ("an ordinary horse"), probably from place name Hackney

Noun

1. (obsolete) An ordinary saddle horse, especially one which has been let out for hire and is old and tired. from the 14th c.
2. A person, often a journalist, hired to do routine work. (newspaper hack) from the 17th c.
• I got by on hack work for years before I finally published my novel.
3. (pejorative) Someone who is available for hire; hireling, mercenary.
4. (slang) A taxicab (hackney cab) driver.
5. A coach or carriage let for hire; particularly, a coach with two seats inside facing each other; a hackney coach.
• Alexander PopeOn horse, on foot, in hacks and gilded chariots.
6. (pejorative) An untalented writer.
• Dason is nothing but a two-bit hack.
• He's nothing but the typical hack writer.
7. (pejorative) One who is professionally successful despite producing mediocre work. (Usually applied to persons in a creative field.)
8. (pejorative) A talented writer-for-hire, paid to put others' thoughts into felicitous language.
9. (politics) A political agitator. (slightly derogatory)
10. (obsolete) A bookmaker who hires himself out for any sort of literary work; an overworked man; a drudge.
• GoldsmithHere lies poor Ned Purdon, from misery freed,
  Who long was a bookseller's hack.
11. (obsolete) A procuress.

Synonyms

• (A saddle horse which is old and tired) nag

Coordinate terms

• (worthless horse) bum

Verb

1. (dated) To make common or cliched; to vulgarise.
2. To ride a horse at a regular pace; to ride on a road (as opposed to riding cross-country etc.).
3. (obsolete) To be exposed or offered or to common use for hire; to turn prostitute.
4. (obsolete) To live the life of a drudge or hack.
5. To use as a hack; to let out for hire.
6. To use frequently and indiscriminately, so as to render trite and commonplace.
• J. H. NewmanThe word "remarkable" has been so hacked of late.

From hackysack

Noun

1. A small ball usually made of woven cotton or suede and filled with rice, sand or some other filler, for the use in hackeysack.

Verb

1. To play hackeysack.