The computer senses date back to at least 1955 when it initially referred to creative problem solving. By 1963, the negative connotations of “black hat” or malicious hacking had become associated with telephone hacking (cf. phreaking).[1]
Verb
hack (third-person singular simple presenthacks, present participlehacking, simple past and past participlehacked)
Among 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.
To withstand or put up with a difficult situation. [20th c.]
Can you hack it out here with no electricity or running water?
2020 June 5, Alyson Krueger, “The Agonizing Question: Is New York City Worth It Anymore?”, in New York Times[2]:
New Yorkers have been fleeing for months. But the fear some residents have of the violent reactions to the protests here is adding a new challenge to those asking themselves whether they can hack the city. Many are deciding not to return.
(computing) To make a quick code change to patch a computer program, often one that, while being effective, is inelegant or makes the program harder to maintain.
(soccer and rugby) To kick (a player) on the shins.
8 May 2019, Barney Ronay, “Liverpool’s waves of red fury and recklessness end in joyous bedlam”, in The Guardian[3]:
Barcelona had been harried and hurried and stretched thin by the midway point in the second half. Tackles flew in. Toes were crushed, shins barked, ankles hacked.
2010 December 29, Chris Whyatt, “Chelsea 1 - 0 Bolton”, in BBC[4]:
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.
(informal) An improvised device or solution to a problem.
Luckily for us J company picked us up in their hack — two snowmobiles with a big inflatable raft strapped between them.
(computing,slang) An expedient, temporary solution, such as a small patch or change to code, meant to be replaced with a more elegant solution at a later date; a workaround.
Valleysoft released a hack yesterday to fix the "crashes when more than 50 recipients" bug for people who need it right away. The company says its next release will also solve this as well as add new features.
(computing,slang) A computer programmer who makes quick but inelegant changes to computer code to solve problems or add features.
Tsang is great but Zhou is such a hack — I wouldn't want him on my project.
(computing,slang) A computer programmer, particularly a veteran or someone not immediately expected to be capable of programming.
Terry wrote that module? I didn't know she was a hack too!
Flugensoft came out with a neat hack last week that allows your watch to warm up your car if it's below freezing outside.
(colloquial) A trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method to increase productivity, efficiency, or ease.
Putting your phone in a sandwich bag when you go to the beach is such a great hack.
(computing,slang) An illegal attempt to gain access to a computer network.
(computing,slang) A video game or any computer software that has been altered from its original state.
2014, Clara Fernández-Vara, Introduction to Game Analysis (page 165)
[…] found out a discarded sex mini-game in the code, and made it available again in the modified PC version of the game that they nicknamed “Hot Coffee.” This hack of the game created a controversy, since the inclusion of sexual content would change its age rating, […]
(ice hockey) The act of striking an opponent with one's hockey stick, typically on the leg but occasionally and more seriously on the back, arm, head, etc.
Zersky is still down after that nasty hack by Lenner.
(baseball) A swing of the bat at a pitched ball by the batter, particularly a choppy, ungraceful one that misses the ball such as at a fastball.
And Melnick goes down with one last hack at an O'Malley fastball.
Wales are awarded a free kick after a minor hack by Järvinen on Llewellyn.
1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's School Days.
“Ain't there just fine scrummages then! and the three trees you see there which come out into the play, that's a tremendous place when the ball hangs there, for you get thrown against the trees, and that's worse than any hack.”
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1986, Jim Cash, Jack Epps Jr., Top Gun (motion picture), spoken by Stinger (James Tolkan):
You've been busted, you lost your qualifications as section leader three times, put in hack twice by me, with a history of high speed passes over five air control towers, and one admiral's daughter!
2013, David Cauthen, When Destiny Comes to a Fork in the Road, p. 426:
“Lieutenant Cauthen, you've got ten seconds to explain yourself before I put you in hack!”
Henebry's planes returned to Japan to reload, and early in the morning brought almost 3,000 more troopers to Korea […] Before sunrise next day, all troops in the maneuver had been picked up again and airlifted in “Henebry Hacks” back to Japan.
1967, Christian Advocate (volume 47, page 292)
[…] so that he had to make the 300-mile journey in a “hack” plane which had spluttering engines, which did not conduce to an easy mind nor to a comfortable journey; […]
(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.
A cold wind, a piercing rain, and a bad road, with a worse hack (for his own horses had been knocked up), rendered more acute the misery which he, as a parted lover, was bound to feel.
A person, often a journalist, hired to do routine work. [from 17th c.]
I got by on hack work for years before I finally published my novel.
[W]e know how the life of any hack, legal or literary, in a curacy, or in a marching regiment, or at a merchant’s desk, is dull of routine, and tedious of description.
1993, TC Boyle, The Road to Wellville, Penguin, published 1994, page 227:
The interurban wasn't running because of the holiday, and the hacks, if there were any, would have been clustered round the Post Tavern at the other end of town.
(UK, student politics,derogatory) A person who frequently canvasses for votes, either directly or by appearing to continuously act with the ulterior motive of furthering their political career.
(obsolete) A writer who hires himself out for any sort of literary work; an overworked man; a drudge.
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