hack

hack · verb, noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*keg-, *keng-
2. Proto-Germanic*hakkōną
3. Proto-West Germanic*hakkōn
4. Old English*haccian
5. Middle Englishhakken
6. English todayhack

From Middle English hacken, hakken, from Old English *haccian (“to hack”), from Proto-West Germanic *hakkōn, from Proto-Germanic *hakkōną (“to chop; hoe; hew”), from Proto-Indo-European *keg-, *keng- (“to be sharp; peg; hook; handle”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian häkje (“to hack”), West Frisian hakje (“to hack”), Dutch hakken (“to chop up; hack”), German hacken (“to chop; hack; hoe”), Danish hakke (“to chop”), Swedish hacka (“to hack; chop”), French hacher (“to chop”). Related to hatch. 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).

hack · noun, verb²

Variations of hatch, heck.

hack · noun, verb³

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

hack · verb, noun, interjection⁴

Unclear. Perhaps imitative; compare hock, hawk. Alternatively, perhaps from hack (“chop; do something difficult”) via the idea of doing something (like breathing) or with difficulty.

hack · noun, verb⁵

From hackysack.

Hack · proper noun⁶

1. Yiddish · derived fromהאַק“axe”
2. Middle Dutch · derived fromHakke
3. Old Norse · derived fromÁskell
4. English todayHack

* As a German and Dutch surname, from the old Germanic name Hacco, shortened from names derived from *hakkju (“enclosure, hedge”). * Also as a German and Dutch surname, occupational surname for a butcher or woodcutter, see Hacker. * As a north/Low German surname, variant of Haack. * Also as a north/Low German surname, variant of Heck. * Also as a north/Low German surname for someone who lived by a marsh, from hach, hack (“boggy water”). * As an English surname, from the Middle English personal name Acke with a prosthetic H-, itself of North Germanic origin and a pet form of Old Norse Áskell, see Haskell. * Also as an English surname, from Middle Dutch Hakke, denasalized from Hanke, a West Flemish and Picard form of John. * Also as an English surname, from the Middle English adjective hak (“ruthless, unsparing”). * As a Jewish surname, from Yiddish האַק (hak, “axe”).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• circa 12th c. To chop or cut down in a rough manner.
• 20th c. To withstand or put up with a difficult situation.
• 14th c. A tool for chopping.
• 19th c. A hacking blow.
• 19th c. A try, an attempt.
• from 16th c. A horse for hire, especially one which is old and tired.
• from 17th c. A person, often a journalist, hired to do routine work.
• from 17th c. A vehicle let for hire; originally, a hackney cab, now typically a taxicab.