Definition of a hack

hack

noun

an untalented professional.
He's just some consulting hack.
I love my husband, but he's a hack.
- See more words with the same meaning: bad, poor, sucks, common, generally displeasing.
- See more words with the same meaning: business (related to).
Last edited on Apr 23 2013. Submitted by Ed from Melbourne, VIC, Australia on Nov 10 1999.
a cough.
That's quite a hack you've got there.
- See more words with the same meaning: to cough.
Last edited on Mar 23 2002. Submitted by Amie on Mar 23 2002.
an untalented golfer.
He is not a good golfer, he is a hack.
- See more words with the same meaning: bad, poor, sucks, common, generally displeasing.
- See more words with the same meaning: sports (related to).
Last edited on Aug 19 2002. Submitted by George G. from Târgovişte, Romania on Aug 19 2002.
a quick solution that solves a problem, but does not solve it particularly well, or in a particularly good way.
Yeah, it's working now, but I just did a hack.
- See more words with the same meaning: bad, poor, sucks, common, generally displeasing.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
- See more words with the same meaning: to accomplish, work hard.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
a prank or practical joke. Popularized at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT.)
Last edited on Oct 21 2010. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Jan 11 2010.
an unlicensed taxicab driver.
Last edited on Nov 07 2011. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Nov 07 2011.
an untalented journalist.
Last edited on Mar 19 2016. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Mar 19 2016.
To Hack something is to change something.

So to change colour by painting or to make it do something other than it's intended purpose. Normally with home decorations to suit your decor. Or to make things more useful
Check out the hack I've done on my new shoe rack. To turn it into something useful for the kitchen.
After redecorating my house this item didn't go. So I hacked it to change its colour and now it's fits in perfect.

Last edited on Jul 16 2017. Submitted by Anonymous on Jul 16 2017.

verb - ambitransitive

to work on a computer programming or computer software problem.
Person A: What have you been up to?

Person B: Just hasking Haskell.
I'm going to hack for a bit then get something to eat.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
- See more words with the same meaning: to accomplish, work hard.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.

verb - intransitive

to play with a Hacky Sack (footbag.)
You got the Hackysack? Let's go hack.
- See more words with the same meaning: sports (related to).
Last edited on May 16 2011. Submitted by Emily M. from UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA on Jan 13 1998.
to cough.
Don't hack all over the place - cover your mouth!
- See more words with the same meaning: to cough.
Last edited on Oct 21 2010. Submitted by Amie on Mar 23 2002.
to explore the problem-solving capabilities of a computer and its software.
I didn't get a lot accomplished this weekend. Just did some hacking.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
- See more words with the same meaning: to accomplish, work hard.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
to operate an unlicensed taxicab.
Last edited on Nov 07 2011. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Nov 07 2011.
to waste time.

Synonyms: mess around, hang out

What did you do all weekend?

Not much, just hacked around with Judy.
Last edited on Jan 08 2019. Submitted by Anonymous on Jan 08 2019.

verb - transitive

to withstand.
I can't hack this.
- See more words with the same meaning: to accept insults.
Last edited on Dec 16 2010. Submitted by Nimesh P. from UK on Feb 05 2002.
to use a particular computing technology.
I haven't hacked Lisp in a few years.

Last edited on Oct 21 2010. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Jan 11 2010.

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Related words

Slang terms with the same meaning

Other terms relating to 'bad, poor, sucks, common, generally displeasing':
craptacular	Definitions include: disappointing.
tacky	Definitions include: of poor taste or style.
turd	Definitions include: a piece of fecal matter; "loaf".
booey	Definitions include: very bad.
salty	Definitions include: mean or disrespectful.
kife	Definitions include: to steal.
booty	Definitions include: sexual contact.
ugly	Definitions include: of a situation, very bad.
rassclat	Definitions include: displeasing.
weak	Definitions include: inadequate or displeasing.
hackish	Definitions include: a hack or involving a hack.
bunk	Definitions include: boring.
cottage	Definitions include: bad, old, worn-out, or stupid.
pid	Definitions include: "stupid".
spork	Definitions include: of poor quality, unusable, intolerable.
(show 114 more)
Other terms relating to 'business (related to)':
low-hanging fruit	Definitions include: of an entire task, the easy portions.
buy-in	Definitions include: support.
rinky-dink	Definitions include: easy or unchallenging.
go down	Definitions include: as a greeting, a rhetorical question asking about what's happening.
spec	Definitions include: "specification".
busy work	Definitions include: work (in a professional or educational setting) that is designed to keep a person busy, but to not permit that person to accomplish anything of note.
pizza profitable	Definitions include: more than ramen profitable.
safety meeting	Definitions include: a break in the workday when employees gather to ingest drugs.
digs	Definitions include: clothing
MAFIAA, the	Definitions include: a pejorative term for both the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) and RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), likening them to the mafia.
punch in	Definitions include: to start one's work shift.
glory vulture	Definitions include: a person attaches themselves to high profile task or project in order to enhance their own career.
SOHO	Definitions include: acronym for "small office / home office".
Targhetto	Definitions include: the "Target" retailer.
brainstorm	Definitions include: to invent ideas and solutions, usually by coming up with as many as possible while not rejecting any out of hand.
(show 75 more)
Other terms relating to 'computer slang':
FWP	Definitions include: acronym for "First World problem" or "First World problems".
choke	Definitions include: to smoke marijuana.
bug-for-bug compatible	Definitions include: so compatible that even the known bugs of product A were replicated in the "bug-for-bug compatible" product B.
Infinite-Monkey Theorem	Definitions include: This theorem has been traced to the mathematician E'mile Borel in 1913, and was first popularized by the astronomer Sir Arthur Eddington.
IOW	Definitions include: acronym for "in other words".
k	Definitions include: abbreviated form of "okay".
prepend	Definitions include: to add something to the beginning; "prefix".
gender mender	Definitions include: a cable connector device with either two male or two female connectors on it, used to connect mismatched cables.
annoyware	Definitions include: a type of shareware that interrupts use of the software to display a message asking the user to "register" the software (i.e. pay for it.)
careware	Definitions include: a form of shareware where, in lieu of the "registration" fee, the author asks that users donate to a charity.
write-only code	Definitions include: source code that is extremely difficult to understand.
propeller head	Definitions include: a geek.
TFW	Definitions include: acronym for "that feeling when".
loot	Definitions include: money.
thx	Definitions include: "thanks".
(show 591 more)
Other terms relating to 'sports (related to)':
ball	Definitions include: to be successful.
clock	Definitions include: to body check as in sports (hockey, American football, rugby, etc.)
catch and release	Definitions include: in fishing, to catch a fish and then release it back into the water.
ace	Definitions include: a very good, trusted friend, often from childhood; "homie"; "boy".
3rd base	Definitions include: see get to 3rd base.
deck	Definitions include: to hit.
joggling	Definitions include: jogging and juggling at the same time.
game-time decision	Definitions include: a decision that will be made close to the time of acting upon that decision.
anabolics	Definitions include: anabolic steroids.
get to 1st base	Definitions include: to kiss, make out.
footie	Definitions include: football (soccer.)
dime	Definitions include: a very attractive person; "a perfect ten".
nutmeg	Definitions include: in soccer (football), the kick of a ball through an opponent's legs.
OG	Definitions include: acronym of "original gangsta" meaning an older gangsta.
hoops	Definitions include: basketball.
(show 51 more)
Other terms relating to 'to accept insults':
*take sht**	Definitions include: to accept insults from a person without fighting back.
Other terms relating to 'to accomplish, work hard':
work (one's) fingers to the bone	Definitions include: to work extremely hard.
nail	Definitions include: to have sex with.
bust out	Definitions include: to yell at someone; "blow up".
fire on all cylinders	Definitions include: to be at one's peak performance.
workahol	Definitions include: the metaphorical substance that workaholics are addicted to.
chase paper	Definitions include: to seek "paper" (i.e. money.)
nose to the grindstone	Definitions include: a metaphorical position which implies hard work.
get stuck in	Definitions include: to devote significant effort towards.
110 percent	Definitions include: one's best effort.
work (one's) butt off	Definitions include: to work hard.
bust (one's) hump	Definitions include: to criticize; "get on (one's) case".
level up	Definitions include: to increase one's stature in life.
hang	Definitions include: to relax, usually with other friends; "chill".
bang up job	Definitions include: an accomplishment that goes above and beyond what is expected; "a good job".
go all out	Definitions include: to do a lot of work or spend a lot of money for something or someone.
(show 16 more)
Other terms relating to 'to cough':
snough	Definitions include: to sneeze and cough at the same time.

Slang terms with the same root words

Other terms relating to 'hack':
hacked off	Definitions include: extremely mad or irritated.
hacked up	Definitions include: a system that was created by hacking it up over time.
hacker	Definitions include: while "hacker" originally had positive connotations, it has since come to refer to individuals who sometimes use computers with malicious intent.
hacking it	Definitions include: To engage in any activity intensely, especially to be intent on using one's computer for any purpose, though not necessarily engaging in illegal activity via the internet.
hack it	Definitions include: to perform one's duties.
hack license	Definitions include: a permit, license or other authority issued by a governmental agency authorizing a person to drive a taxicab in service to customers in that area.
hack off	Definitions include: to make a person angry.
hack on	Definitions include: to work on a pre-existing problem, program, or piece of source code.
hack the carrot	Definitions include: to masturbate
hack together	Definitions include: to hack, with the result being something quickly and sloppily created, or modified to solve a particular problem.
hack up	Definitions include: to hack, with the result being something quickly and sloppily created, or modified to solve a particular problem.
hax0r	Definitions include: "hacker".
haxor	Definitions include: spelling variant of "hacker".
haxxor	Definitions include: "leet" spelling of "hacker".
l33t hax0r	Definitions include: a l33t hax0r.
(show 1 more hide)