/ wæk; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb [ vn ]
1.
( informal ) to hit sb/sth very hard :
She whacked him with her handbag.
James whacked the ball over the net.
2.
[+ adv. / prep. ] ( informal ) to put sth somewhere without much care :
Just whack your bags in the corner.
3.
( NAmE , slang ) to murder sb
■ noun [ usually sing. ] ( informal )
1.
the act of hitting sb/sth hard; the sound made by this :
He gave the ball a good whack.
I heard the whack of the bullet hitting the wood.
2.
( BrE ) a share of sth; an amount of sth :
Don't leave all the work to her. Everyone should do their fair whack.
You have to pay the full whack. There are no reductions.
He charges top whack (= the highest amount possible) .
•
IDIOMS
- out of whack
••
WORD ORIGIN
early 18th cent.: imitative, or perhaps an alteration of thwack .