hack

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

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Contents 1 English 1.1 Pronunciation 1.2 Etymology 1 1.2.1 Verb 1.2.1.1 Derived terms 1.2.1.2 Synonyms 1.2.1.3 Translations 1.2.2 Noun 1.2.2.1 Quotations 1.2.2.2 Synonyms 1.2.2.3 Related terms 1.2.2.4 Translations 1.3 Etymology 2 1.3.1 Noun 1.3.2 Verb 1.4 Etymology 3 1.4.1 Noun 1.4.1.1 Translations 1.4.2 Verb 1.4.3 Adjective 1.5 Etymology 4 1.5.1 Noun 1.5.1.1 Translations 1.5.2 Verb 1.5.2.1 Translations

[edit] English

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /hæk/
• Rhymes: -æk

[edit] Etymology 1

From Old English tohaccian (“‘hack to pieces’”)

[edit] Verb

to hack (third-person singular simple present hacks, present participle hacking, simple past and past participle hacked)

1. To chop or cut down in a rough manner.

   They hacked the brush down and made their way through the jungle.

2. To cough noisily.

   This cold is awful. I can't stop hacking.

3. To withstand or put up with a difficult situation.

   Can you hack it out here with no electricity or running water?

4. (slang, computing) To hack into; to gain unauthorized access to a computer system (e.g. website) or network by manipulating code; a crack.
5. (computing) To accomplish a difficult programming task.

   He can hack like no one else and make the program work as expected.

6. (computing) To make a quick code change to patch a computer program.

   I hacked in a fix for this bug, but we'll still have to do a real fix later..

7. To work on an intimately technical level.

   I'm currently hacking distributed garbage collection.

8. (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.

9. (ice hockey) 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.

10. (baseball) To swing at a pitched ball.

    He went to the batter's box hacking.

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Synonyms

• (gain unauthorized access): crack
• frob
• tweak

[edit] Translations

[edit] Noun

hack (plural hacks)

1. A hacking blow.
2. A gouge or notch made by such a blow.
3. (curling) The foothold traditionally cut into the ice from which the person who throws the rock pushes off for delivery.
4. (obsolete) A mattock or a miner's pick.
5. A dry cough.
6. (computing, slang) An illegal attempt to gain access to a computer network.
7. (computing) An interesting technical achievement, particularly in computer programming.
8. (computing) A small code change meant to patch a problem as quickly as possible.
9. (computing) An expedient, temporary solution, meant to be replaced with a more elegant solution at a later date.
10. (slang, military) Time check.
11. (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.

[edit] Quotations

• For examples of the usage of this term see the citations page.

[edit] Synonyms

• (access attempt): crack
• (expedient, temporary solution): kludge

[edit] Related terms

• marginal hacks

[edit] Translations

[edit] Etymology 2

Variations of hatch, heck.

[edit] Noun

hack (plural hacks)

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 bricks.

[edit] Verb

to hack (third-person singular simple present hacks, present participle hacking, simple past and past participle hacked)

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.

[edit] Etymology 3

Abbreviation of hackney (“‘an ordinary horse’”), probably from place name Hackney

[edit] Noun

hack (plural hacks)

1. (obsolete) An ordinary horse, especially an old, tired one.
2. (slang) A taxicab (hackney cab) driver.
3. (pejorative) One who is professionally successful despite producing mediocre work. (Usually applied to persons in a creative field.)
4. (pejorative) A talented writer-for-hire, paid to put others' thoughts into felicitous language.
5. (pejorative) An untalented writer.

   Dason is nothing but a two-bit hack.

6. (politics) A political agitator. (slightly derogatory)

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to hack (third-person singular simple present hacks, present participle hacking, simple past and past participle hacked)

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.).

[edit] Adjective

hack (not comparable)

1. (literary) Having or requiring little talent.

   He's nothing but the typical hack writer.

   I got by on hack work for years before I finally published my novel.

[edit] Etymology 4

From hackysack

[edit] Noun

hack (plural hacks)

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.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to hack (third-person singular simple present hacks, present participle hacking, simple past and past participle hacked)

1. To play hackeysack.

[edit] Translations