1. n. & v.
--n.
1. a a large strong bag, usu. made of hessian, paper, or plastic, for storing or conveying goods. b (usu. foll. by of) this with its contents (a sack of potatoes). c a quantity contained in a sack.
2 (prec. by the) colloq. dismissal from employment.
3 (prec. by the) US sl. bed.
4 a a woman's short loose dress with a sacklike appearance. b archaic or hist. a woman's loose gown, or a silk train attached to the shoulders of this.
5 a man's or woman's loose-hanging coat not shaped to the back.
--v.tr.
1. put into a sack or sacks.
2 colloq. dismiss from employment.
Phrases and idioms:
sack race a race between competitors in sacks up to the waist or neck.
Derivatives:
sackful n. (pl. -fuls). sacklike adj.
Etymology: OE sacc f. L saccus f. Gk sakkos, of Semitic orig. 2. v. & n.
--v.tr.
1. plunder and destroy (a captured town etc.).
2 steal valuables from (a place).
--n. the sacking of a captured place.
Etymology: orig. as noun, f. F sac in phr. mettre {agrave} sac put to sack, f. It. sacco SACK(1) 3. n. hist. a white wine formerly imported into Britain from Spain and the Canaries (sherry sack).
Etymology: 16th-c. wyne seck, f. F vin sec dry wine