I. ˈhwak also ˈwak verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: probably of imitative origin
transitive verb
1.
a. : to strike with a smart or resounding blow
whack his desk with a schoolmaster's ruler that serves him as a gavel — Janet Flanner
whack the ball into left field
whack the little boy for talking back
b. : to cut with or as if with a whack : chop
ran down and captured turkey gobblers and whacked off their heads — C.T.Jackson
the house whacked $63.8 million from the proposed … budget — New Republic
c. : to take vigorous action against
the French police … have whacked some of the smartest bars in town with gigantic fines — Janet Flanner
2. : to put, get, or make by vigorous or hurried action — often used with up or out
before their homes were finished, the busy colonists had whacked up … a sort of meeting place and school — S.H.Holbrook
whacked up half a million signatures to its petition against the bill — Mollie Panter-Downes
3.
a. : to work as a driver of (oxen or mules) : drive
b. : to drive to greater speed or activity — usually used with up
4. chiefly Britain : to get the better of : defeat
if you are whacked today, you may win tomorrow — Winnie Barber
intransitive verb
: to strike something with a smart or resounding blow
wanted to dawdle … and whack at things with a switch — Marcia Davenport
II. noun
( -s )
1.
a. : a smart or resounding blow
gave the rioter a whack on the head with his nightstick
also : the sound of or as if of such a blow
heard the whack of the speedboat on the waves
b. : a vigorous attack
takes a good whack at false living and false gods — Virgilia Peterson
2.
a. : portion , share , allowance
a European calamity fund … into which every country would pay its whack — Mollie Panter-Downes
b. chiefly Britain : the statutory daily minimum ration of food and drink allowed a merchant seaman
we lived on our bare whack — Albert Sonnichsen
3. Midland : agreement , bargain , deal
4. : condition , state
the tycoon is in fine whack — John Hay †1905
5.
a. : an opportunity or attempt to do something : chance
having first whack at original-cast album privileges — J.M.Conly
: try
some horsebreaker had already taken a whack at these ponies and hadn't done a very cute job — F.B.Gipson
b. : a single action or occasion : stroke , time
made several style changes with one whack
borrow fifty dollars all at one whack — G.S.Perry
•
- out of whack
III.
variant of wack
IV. transitive verb
: murder : kill
got whacked by the mob