hack
hack — verb
1. to break into a computer network or digital account without authorisation, often
to break into a computer network or digital account without authorisation, often aiming to steal data or cause disruption
Someone hacked into the company database and stole thousands of customer records.
hack + into + system — unauthorised access
Charlotte discovered that a stranger had hacked her email account and read all her messages.
hack + object (account) — personal data breach
The teenager was arrested after he hacked the school network to change his exam grades.
Banks spend millions every year trying to stop criminals from hacking their systems.
Eri's laptop was hacked last week and private photos were posted online.
passive: was hacked — security breach
- hack + into (system, network, server, account)
- hack + object (computer, database, email)
Grammar Patterns
hack + object (system, account, database)
hack + into + object
Usage Note
Often followed by into when specifying the target. Can describe both criminal activity and ethical security testing (white-hat hacking performed with permission).
Common Mistakes
2. to cut something into pieces or make a path through something using rough, heavy
to cut something into pieces or make a path through something using rough, heavy strokes, often without aiming carefully
Theo hacked the thick branch into smaller pieces with an old axe.
hack + object + into + pieces — cutting up
Rescue workers had to hack through the wreckage to reach the trapped driver.
hack + through + object — clearing a path
The chef hacked at the large piece of meat, cutting it into rough steaks.
Layla hacked away at the frozen ground with a pickaxe to plant the fence posts.
hack + away + at — continuous effort
A narrow path was hacked out of the jungle by the first settlers.
passive: hacked out of — created by cutting
- hack + through (wreckage, jungle, ice)
- hack + at (meat, branch, ground)
- hack + away + at
Grammar Patterns
hack + object
hack + at/into/through/away + object
Usage Note
Often followed by at, into, through, or away to indicate the direction or manner of the cutting. Objects are typically thick or tough materials such as wood, branches, meat, or ice.
Common Mistakes
3. To have the necessary ability, energy, or willpower to endure or succeed in a de
To have the necessary ability, energy, or willpower to endure or succeed in a demanding job, situation, or environment despite the difficulty.
After the merger, only half the staff could hack the new workload.
can/could + hack + object (workload/responsibility)
David knew the marathon would be brutal, but he was determined to hack it.
hack it (idiomatic pronoun object)
Not everyone can hack a twelve-hour workday in a busy hospital.
Wren soon discovered she could not hack the pressure of living in a huge city.
negative construction: could not hack
- hack it
- can hack
- cannot hack
- hack the workload
- hack the pressure
Grammar Patterns
can/could + hack + noun phrase
can/could + hack + it
Usage Note
Commonly appears with modal verbs 'can' or 'could', especially in negative statements ('cannot hack it'). The object is typically an abstract noun referring to a situation, task, or environment.
Common Mistakes
4. To write or modify computer code in a quick, experimental, or improvised way, of
To write or modify computer code in a quick, experimental, or improvised way, often as a hobby or to produce a workable solution rather than fully polished software.
Nila spent the weekend hacking together a simple app for her photography blog.
hack together + object (quickly assembled)
A group of computer science students hacked at the code until the program finally ran.
Kasia loves hacking old video games to add new characters and levels.
hack + object (games/software) + to-infinitive purpose
The engineers hacked a prototype together overnight and tested it the next morning.
Roya enjoys hacking on small projects in her free time rather than writing official software.
intransitive: hack on + project
- hack together
- hack on a project
- hack code
- hack a prototype
- tinker
broader; 'tinker' can mean working with any hardware or mechanical system, not just code
- prototype
more formal; 'prototype' implies a more structured and intentional process
- experiment
does not necessarily involve coding; 'experiment' is broader and more formal
Grammar Patterns
hack + object (code/program/script)
hack + together + object
Usage Note
This sense has a positive or neutral connotation in hobbyist and startup communities, emphasizing creativity and speed over formal methodology. Distinct from sense 5 (unauthorized computer intrusion).
Common Mistakes
5. in football, to break the rules by striking an opponent's leg with your foot dur
in football, to break the rules by striking an opponent's leg with your foot during play
The defender was sent off after he hacked down the striker in the penalty area.
hack + down + opponent — football foul
Beatriz watched in horror as players hacked at each other's legs throughout the match.
Chidi was shown a yellow card for hacking an opponent near the sideline.
Carlos hacked the opposing striker's ankle and the referee showed him a red card.
transitive: hack + body part — intentional foul
- hack + down (opponent, striker)
- hack + at (legs, ankles)
Grammar Patterns
hack + down + opponent
hack + at + opponent's legs
Usage Note
Mostly used in British football commentary. Can describe either a deliberate kick at an opponent's leg or an uncontrolled challenge that results in a foul.
Common Mistakes
6. to strike a golf ball with poor technique, producing a weak or badly aimed shot
to strike a golf ball with poor technique, producing a weak or badly aimed shot
Theo hacked the ball out of the deep rough and into a bunker.
hack + out of + hazard — escaping a bad lie
Tanvi took three strokes just to hack her way out of the sand trap.
Layla hacked at the ball with her sand wedge until it reached the green.
hack + at + ball — unsuccessful golf swing
Adina hacked her ball through a line of trees and it landed just short of the green.
golf context: hack + ball + through + trees
- hack + out of (rough, bunker, sand trap)
- hack + through (trees, bushes)
Grammar Patterns
hack + ball
hack + out of + hazard
hack + at + ball
Usage Note
Common when describing an amateur or struggling golfer's shot. The opposite of a clean, well-executed swing. Often used with out of to describe escaping a difficult lie.
7. to break into a person's telephone or voicemail service without authorisation, t
to break into a person's telephone or voicemail service without authorisation, typically to hear their stored audio messages
A private detective had hacked the politician's phone and listened to his voice messages.
hack + object (phone) — unauthorised surveillance
The newspaper was accused of hacking the voicemail of celebrities to get stories.
hack + voicemail — media scandal context
Henrik realised someone had hacked his phone when his friends received strange text messages.
New laws make it a serious crime to hack into another person's mobile phone system.
hack + into + phone system — legal context
- hack + (phone, voicemail, answering machine, mobile)
- hack + into + (phone system, voicemail box)
Grammar Patterns
hack + object (phone, voicemail, answering machine)
Usage Note
Frequently appears in news reports about phone-hacking scandals. The target is often the voicemail system rather than live calls. Legally distinct from wiretapping (which intercepts active calls).
Common Mistakes
8. Taking a horse out at a gentle speed along paths or roads, purely for relaxation
Taking a horse out at a gentle speed along paths or roads, purely for relaxation and enjoyment rather than for competition, racing, or work.
Every Sunday, Christopher hacks along the river path for an hour or two.
hack along + route (prepositional pattern)
The riding school offers lessons for beginners who want to learn to hack safely.
Talia and her sister hacked through the forest trails near their grandmother's farm.
Yuki enjoys hacking along quiet country lanes on weekends with her pony.
hack along + route — riding for pleasure
- hack along the lane
- hack through the woods
- hack out
- go for a hack
- ride
more general term; 'ride' does not specify the relaxed, non-competitive nature of the activity
Grammar Patterns
hack + prepositional phrase (along/through/down)
hack + horse + prepositional phrase
Usage Note
Chiefly British English. The object, when used transitively, is the horse being ridden at a relaxed pace. More commonly used intransitively with a place or direction phrase.
Common Mistakes
9. To make a short, dry, often repeated coughing sound, usually because of a tickle
To make a short, dry, often repeated coughing sound, usually because of a tickle in the throat, smoke, dust, or a need to clear one's airway.
The dusty room made Élise hack repeatedly until she stepped outside.
cause (dusty room) + made + person + hack
João hacked into his handkerchief during the entire concert.
hack into + noun (handkerchief)
The old man hacked and wheezed as he climbed the narrow stairs.
paired verb: hack and wheeze
Nila took a sip of water when the dry air made her hack.
- hack repeatedly
- hack into a handkerchief
- hack and wheeze
Grammar Patterns
hack + adverb (repeatedly/dryly)
hack + prepositional phrase
Usage Note
Describes a specific type of cough that is short, dry, and often irritating, rather than a deep or productive cough that brings up mucus.
Common Mistakes
10. in rugby, to strike a loose ball on the ground with your foot, typically to adva
in rugby, to strike a loose ball on the ground with your foot, typically to advance it up the field
The scrum-half hacked the loose ball forward and chased it down the field.
hack + ball + forward — rugby kick
Anong managed to hack the ball out of the ruck and set up an attack.
Charlotte tried to kick but only hacked the ball along the ground a few metres.
The referee called a penalty when Henrik hacked at the ball while off his feet.
hack + at + ball — uncontrolled kick
- hack + forward (ball)
- hack + out of (ruck, scrum, maul)
- kick
general term; hack implies a less controlled, more urgent kick at a loose ball
Grammar Patterns
hack + ball + forward
hack + at + loose ball
Usage Note
Specific to rugby union and rugby league. The action involves kicking a ball that is not in anyone's hands, typically to advance it or force an error from the opposing team.
11. To work as a taxi driver, driving a cab to transport paying passengers to their
To work as a taxi driver, driving a cab to transport paying passengers to their destinations.
After retiring from teaching, Sari started hacking a cab in the evenings.
hack a cab (transitive object pattern)
Roya hacked a taxi in the city for ten years before opening her own café.
The novel follows a student who hacks a cab to pay for her university tuition.
Jamal learned every backstreet in Boston during his years hacking a cab.
transitive: hacking a cab — working as a taxi driver
- hack a cab
- hack a taxi
- spent years hacking
Grammar Patterns
hack + a cab/taxi
hack + prepositional phrase
Usage Note
Chiefly American informal usage. The object 'a cab' or 'a taxi' is typically used. Can also be used intransitively ('spent years hacking').
Common Mistakes
hack away at
phrasal verbto cut something repeatedly with rough, heavy strokes, especially to remove it or get through it
The woodcutter hacked away at the fallen tree until it was small enough to carry.
Paloma hacked away at the ice on her car windscreen with a plastic scraper.
hack into
phrasal verbto gain unauthorised access to a computer system, network, or online account
The group claimed they could hack into any government database within minutes.
Defne's social media account was hacked into by someone who sent fake messages to her followers.
hack off
phrasal verbto remove something by cutting it roughly with heavy strokes
The gardener hacked off the dead branches with a long saw before the storm arrived.
Beatriz hacked off a piece of the old wooden beam to use as firewood.
hack — noun
1. a journalist or writer whose work is unoriginal, poorly researched, or produced
a journalist or writer whose work is unoriginal, poorly researched, or produced only for money rather than from genuine interest.
Sahil quit the tabloid because he was tired of being treated like a hack.
noun for a low-quality, mercenary writer
The editor fired the hack after he copied whole paragraphs from other articles.
Readers could tell a hack wrote the piece — it had no fresh ideas or facts.
Amihan wanted to be a serious journalist, not a hack who writes whatever sells.
contrasted with 'serious journalist'
- tabloid hack
- political hack
- party hack
- hack writer
- journalist
neutral, general term for someone who writes for newspapers or magazines
- scribe
dated or humorous; implies routine writing without creative input
Grammar Patterns
countable noun
Common Mistakes
2. an employee or loyal supporter who handles routine tasks within a political part
an employee or loyal supporter who handles routine tasks within a political party or government, usually without holding much authority.
Ramón worked as a party hack, handing out flyers and making calls for campaign staff.
collocation: party hack
The newspaper described the mayor's assistant as nothing more than a political hack.
Élise refused to be a political hack; she wanted to shape policy, not stuff envelopes.
contrast between menial work and meaningful influence
The party hacks gathered in the back room to plan fundraising calls.
- party hack
- political hack
- government hack
- party worker
neutral term stressing the labour done for the party
- apparatchik
formal, often disapproving; suggests a loyal but uncreative official in a large organisation
Grammar Patterns
countable noun
Usage Note
Often used with a preceding noun such as party, political, or government to specify which organisation the person works for.
Common Mistakes
3. an outing spent riding a horse through fields or along country paths, done for e
an outing spent riding a horse through fields or along country paths, done for enjoyment rather than as a sport.
The family went for a hack through the forest on Saturday morning.
collocation: go for a hack
After a long hack across the hills, Joon's legs were stiff from riding.
Esme booked a guided hack that followed old pathways between the villages.
The stable offers two-hour hacks for visitors who already have some riding experience.
time-based specification of a horse ride
- go for a hack
- morning hack
- guided hack
- trail ride
more common in American English for a countryside horse ride
- ride
general term; 'hack' is more specific to pleasure riding outside a ring
Grammar Patterns
countable noun
Usage Note
Primarily used in British English. In American English, 'trail ride' is more common for this meaning.
Common Mistakes
4. a motor vehicle that you pay to travel in, along with its driver; a taxicab.
a motor vehicle that you pay to travel in, along with its driver; a taxicab.
Hamza hailed a hack outside the train station and gave the driver his address.
dated U.S. slang for taxi
The old hack rattled through the narrow streets of the old town.
In this city you can still find a hack at the main square after midnight.
Grandpa always called a taxi a hack, which confused the younger generation.
generational difference in vocabulary use
- hail a hack
- old hack
Grammar Patterns
countable noun
Usage Note
This usage is dated and primarily heard in older American or British English. 'Taxi' or 'cab' is now much more common.
5. a clever or useful method, tip, or shortcut that makes a task easier to do or so
a clever or useful method, tip, or shortcut that makes a task easier to do or solves a common problem.
Eli showed his sister a handy hack for peeling garlic in under ten seconds.
collocation: handy hack
Soraya found a clever online hack that helped her organise her email inbox.
The best travel hack Aaron learnt was to roll clothes instead of folding them.
collocation: travel hack
A simple hack for saving water is to place a brick in the toilet tank.
- life hack
- travel hack
- handy hack
- kitchen hack
- clever hack
Grammar Patterns
countable noun
Usage Note
Very common in modern informal English, often combined with a preceding noun: 'life hack,' 'travel hack,' 'kitchen hack.' The word 'hack' in this sense is now used far more widely than its original computing context.
Common Mistakes
6. a horse used for everyday tasks such as transporting people or pulling loads, or
a horse used for everyday tasks such as transporting people or pulling loads, or one that can be rented, rather than one trained for racing or show.
The farmer's hack was gentle enough for children to ride around the field.
collocation: farmer's hack
Mira chose an old hack for the trail ride because it knew the path well.
Unlike the racehorses in the next stable, this hack was calm and easy to handle.
contrasted with racehorses
The riding school keeps several hacks for beginners to practise on during lessons.
- old hack
- farmer's hack
- riding-school hack
Grammar Patterns
countable noun
Usage Note
This sense overlaps with the 'horse ride' sense (sense 3): a 'hack' is the horse you ride, while 'going for a hack' is the activity. Context makes the distinction clear.
Common Mistakes
7. a sturdy tool with a strong head, meant for breaking ground or chopping through
a sturdy tool with a strong head, meant for breaking ground or chopping through roots
Sven used a heavy hack to dig out the old tree stump from the garden.
collocation: heavy hack
Mayumi grabbed the hack and broke up the dry, rocky soil for planting.
The old iron hack had a rusted blade but a sturdy wooden handle.
collocation: hack blade / hack handle
Rafael swung the hack hard, splitting the thick root in two blows.
Eli borrowed a hack from the tool shed to clear the overgrown path.
- heavy hack
- iron hack
- swing a hack
- hack blade
- hack handle
Usage Note
This sense mostly appears when describing traditional farming or construction tools. In everyday speech, more specific names such as 'hoe' or 'pickaxe' are far more common.
Common Mistakes
hack — adjective
1. describes a paid worker, especially a writer or artist, whose main goal is earni
describes a paid worker, especially a writer or artist, whose main goal is earning money rather than producing quality work.
Zayd was dismissed as a hack writer who would produce anything for a fee.
hack + noun describing a paid professional doing low-quality work
The publisher relied on hack translators who rushed through every job without checking the accuracy.
Ari refused to hire the hack photographer after seeing his sloppy wedding pictures.
hack + noun used for creative/service professionals
Critics accused the artist of turning out hack paintings just to pay his studio rent.
James became a hack journalist, churning out shallow articles with very little research.
- hack writer
- hack journalist
- hack photographer
- hack artist
- hack translator
- mercenary
focuses on doing work purely for money rather than low quality
- journeyman
neutral term for a competent but not outstanding professional
- inferior
broader word for anything of lower quality, not specific to paid work
Grammar Patterns
hack + noun (person)
Usage Note
Typically placed before nouns referring to people (writer, journalist, photographer, artist, translator). It is always a criticism of their lack of care or ability.
Common Mistakes
2. describes work, writing, or creative output that is of poor quality because it w
describes work, writing, or creative output that is of poor quality because it was produced quickly and carelessly, purely to earn money.
The film was full of hack dialogue that sounded as if it had been written in five minutes.
hack + noun describing uninspired creative content
Ayana's boss rejected her third draft, calling it hack work with no real thought behind it.
The novel felt like a hack imitation of far better books on the same subject.
Iris could spot hack design from a mile away — generic shapes and lazy colour choices.
hack + noun for a derivative, formulaic creative product
That travel magazine is filled with hack articles copied straight from old guidebooks.
- hack dialogue
- hack writing
- hack work
- hack design
- hack article
- hack imitation
- mediocre
a gentler judgement of average quality, less harsh than hack
- derivative
highlights lack of originality more than low effort
- formulaic
suggests a predictable pattern rather than careless rush
Grammar Patterns
hack + noun (product or output)
Usage Note
Often placed before nouns for creative or commercial products (dialogue, writing, design, articles, recipes, imitation). The criticism is about laziness and lack of originality, not technical errors.
Common Mistakes
3. used to describe a word, phrase, idea, or story that has been repeated so often
used to describe a word, phrase, idea, or story that has been repeated so often that it no longer feels fresh, interesting, or meaningful.
The opening line — 'It was a dark and stormy night' — is so hack that most editors roll their eyes.
hack used predictively: be + hack for a clichéd opening
Emily thought the motivational speech was full of hack phrases like 'think outside the box.'
Diego deliberately avoided hack expressions in his essays, always choosing fresh, direct language instead.
hack + noun for an overused expression
The film's plot was a hack rehash of every superhero origin story from the past decade.
Sivan felt embarrassed using such hack metaphors, but the deadline was only an hour away.
- hack phrase
- hack expression
- hack metaphor
- hack plot
- hack line
- hack rehash
- original
new and fresh, not used before
- innovative
introducing new ideas or methods
Grammar Patterns
hack + noun (expression, plot, metaphor)
be + hack
Usage Note
Common in literary criticism, film reviews, and discussions of language. Can be used predicatively (the phrase is hack) as well as attributively (a hack phrase), unlike senses 1 and 2 which are almost always attributive.
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
All three words describe unauthorised access to computer systems, but they differ in method and scope. Crack focuses on breaking through security measures — specifically, bypassing passwords or encryption. A system is cracked when a password is guessed or encryption is broken. Breach is broader and more formal; it describes a security failure that exposes data, regardless of how it happened (a stolen password, an insider leak, or a technical flaw). Infiltrate suggests long-term, stealthy intrusion into a network to gather intelligence over time, often by a state actor. For example: "Teenagers cracked the school firewall to change their grades" (method-focused), "The data breach affected three million customer records" (consequence-focused), and "The group infiltrated the defence contractor's network and monitored communications for six months" (stealthy, sustained).
Common collocations
Etymology
From Old English haccian ("to cut roughly, chop"), which evolved from Proto-Germanic *hakōną. The original meaning of cutting with rough strokes expanded into sports senses (football, rugby, golf) via the idea of a forceful kick or swing. By the 19th century, it had acquired the "mediocre writer" sense, possibly from the idea of a horse-drawn hackney carriage doing routine hired work (hence "hack writer" being someone who works for hire). The computing senses branched in two directions: "hack into" (unauthorised access, from the 1980s) and "hack together" (creative improvised coding, from MIT hacker culture in the 1960s). The modern "life hack" sense (2000s) extends the creative-coding connotation of a quick, clever solution into everyday life.