hawk
1any of numerous birds of prey of the family Accipitridae, having a short, hooked beak, broad wings, and curved talons, often seen circling or swooping at low altitudes.
any of several similar, unrelated birds, as the nighthawk.
Informal. a person who preys on others, as a con artist.
Also called war hawk. Informal. a person, especially one in public office, who advocates war or a belligerent national attitude.: Compare dove1 (def. 5).
any person who pursues an aggressive policy in business, government, etc.: The corporation is now run by a bunch of young hawks.
Economics. an official or advisor who advocates relatively high interest rates or other monetary policies aimed at keeping inflation low.
to fly, or hunt on the wing, like a hawk.
to hunt with hawks.
Origin of hawk
1Other words from hawk
- hawk·like, adjective
Other definitions for hawk (2 of 5)
to peddle or offer for sale by calling aloud in public.
to advertise or offer for sale: to hawk soap on television.
to spread (rumors, news, etc.).
to carry wares about for sale; peddle.
Origin of hawk
2Other definitions for hawk (3 of 5)
to make an effort to raise phlegm from the throat; clear the throat noisily.
to raise by noisily clearing the throat: to hawk phlegm up.
a noisy effort to clear the throat.
Origin of hawk
3Other definitions for hawk (4 of 5)
a small, square board with a handle underneath it, used by plasterers and masons to hold plaster or mortar being applied.
Origin of hawk
4Other definitions for Hawk (5 of 5)
a medium-range, mobile U.S. surface-to-air missile system.
Origin of Hawk
5Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use hawk in a sentence
Founded in 2010, Wish now helps more then 500,000 online sellers hawk goods to 100 million monthly active shoppers.
Pros and cons of investing in 5 upcoming tech IPOs from Airbnb to Roblox | Aaron Pressman | November 25, 2020 | FortuneHelicopters and Washingtonians generally get along as well as hawks and bunny rabbits.
In D.C., a resident tracks the flying machines hovering above on the city’s ‘helicopter highway’ | Justin Wm. Moyer | November 20, 2020 | Washington PostIn some ways, the robo-hawk is a lot like a real northern goshawk.
Unlike the PigeonBot, this robot-hawk doesn’t use actual feathers from a real bird—Ajanic’s team devised an artificial solution.
A version of this article appears in the November 2020 issue of Fortune with the headline, “A powerful tool for trade hawks.”
How the secretive CFIUS became a powerful weapon in the trade wars | Jeff | October 19, 2020 | Fortune
Both mobilized a grassroots organization unprecedented in their countries, and both hawked progressive agendas.
Scotland’s ‘Yes’ Campaign and the Myth of Scottish Equality | Noah Caldwell | September 18, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTLater in that same show, guest Hillary Clinton hawked her new book together with her hawkish views on the Middle East.
How Jon Stewart Made It Okay to Care About Palestinian Suffering | Dean Obeidallah | July 21, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTGone are the days when a few rows of vendors hawked books to hardcore fans.
Too Many Spider-Men, Too Little Time: Get Ready for Comic-Con | Annaliza Savage | July 10, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTSomeone in Serbia hawked 1,500 tickets for £80,000 in cash—about $125,000.
Sex, Bribes & Rhythmic Gymnastics: The IOC’s Biggest Scandals | Sujay Kumar | September 6, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTBut he has more stamina than any host who has ever hawked Turtle Wax.
It was called rock oil and was hawked about the streets as a sure cure for rheumatism.
Papal indulgences and relics were hawked about chiefly by friars, though these practices were discountenanced by the bishops.
Their letters were published in a pamphlet of which Pollard said scornfully that it was hawked about in every city of the South.
The Day of the Confederacy | Nathaniel W. StephensonA broadside on the event was printed and hawked about the country.
The History of Burke and Hare | George Mac GregorPanaceas are hawked among us, each with a magic to cure our ills.
Hints to Pilgrims | Charles Stephen Brooks
British Dictionary definitions for hawk (1 of 4)
/ (hɔːk) /
any of various diurnal birds of prey of the family Accipitridae, such as the goshawk and Cooper's hawk, typically having short rounded wings and a long tail: Related adjective: accipitrine
US and Canadian any of various other falconiform birds, including the falcons but not the eagles or vultures
a person who advocates or supports war or warlike policies: Compare dove 1 (def. 2)
a ruthless or rapacious person
know a hawk from a handsaw to be able to judge things; be discerning
(intr) to hunt with falcons, hawks, etc
(intr) (of falcons or hawks) to fly in quest of prey
to pursue or attack on the wing, as a hawk
Origin of hawk
1Derived forms of hawk
- hawklike, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for hawk (2 of 4)
/ (hɔːk) /
to offer (goods) for sale, as in the street
(tr often foll by about) to spread (news, gossip, etc)
Origin of hawk
2British Dictionary definitions for hawk (3 of 4)
/ (hɔːk) /
(intr) to clear the throat noisily
(tr) to force (phlegm) up from the throat
British a slang word for spit 1
a noisy clearing of the throat
Origin of hawk
3British Dictionary definitions for hawk (4 of 4)
/ (hɔːk) /
a small square board with a handle underneath, used for carrying wet plaster or mortar: Also called: mortar board
Origin of hawk
4Collins 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 hawk
see watch like a hawk.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Browse