whack

1
[ wak, hwak ]
See synonyms for: whackwhackedwhacking on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
  1. to strike with a smart, resounding blow or blows.

  2. Slang. to divide into or take in shares (often followed by up): Whack the loot between us two.

verb (used without object)
  1. to strike a smart, resounding blow or blows.

noun
  1. a smart, resounding blow: a whack with his hand.

  2. Informal. a trial or attempt: to take a whack at a job.

  1. Slang. a portion or share.

Verb Phrases
  1. whack off,

    • to cut off or separate with a blow: The cook whacked off the fish's head.

    • Slang: Vulgar. to masturbate.

  2. whack out, Slang. to produce quickly or, sometimes, carelessly: She whacks out a short story every week or so.

Idioms about whack

  1. out of whack, Informal. out of order or alignment; not in proper condition.

Origin of whack

1
First recorded in 1710–20; originally dialect, Scots form of thwack; cf. whang2, whittle

Other words for whack

Other words from whack

  • whack·er, noun

Words Nearby whack

Other definitions for whack (2 of 2)

whack2
[ wak, hwak ]

noun, adjective
  1. a variant of wack1.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use whack in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for whack

whack

/ (wæk) /


verb(tr)
  1. to strike with a sharp resounding blow

  2. (usually passive) British informal to exhaust completely

  1. (tr; usu foll by in or on) informal to put something on to or into something else with force or abandon: whack on some sunscreen

noun
  1. (tr) US slang to murder: if you were out of line you got whacked

  2. a sharp resounding blow or the noise made by such a blow

  1. informal a share or portion

  2. informal a try or attempt (esp in the phrase have a whack at)

  3. out of whack informal out of order; unbalanced: the whole system is out of whack

interjection
  1. an exclamation imitating the noise of a sharp resounding blow

Origin of whack

1
C18: perhaps a variant of thwack, ultimately of imitative origin

Derived forms of whack

  • whacker, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with whack

whack

In addition to the idioms beginning with whack

  • whacked out
  • whack off

also see:

  • have a crack (whack) at
  • out of kilter (whack)

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.