Hackney

Origin

Probably from Hackney, formerly a town, now a borough of London, used for grazing horses before sale, or from Old French haquenee ("ambling mare for ladies"), Latinized in England to hakeneius (though some recent French sources report that the English usage predates the French)

Full definition of hackney

Noun

1. (archaic) An ordinary horse.
2. A carriage for hire or a cab.
3. A horse used to ride or drive.
4. A breed of English horse.
5. (archaic) A hired drudge; a hireling; a prostitute.

Derived terms

• hack
• hackney cab
• hackney writer

Adjective

1. (not comparable) Offered for hire; hence, much used; trite; mean.hackney coacheshackney authors
• Roscommonhis accumulative and hackney tongue

Verb

1. To make uninteresting or trite by frequent use.
2. To use as a hackney.