whack

¹

[hwak, wak]

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 byup ).

   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.

   Synonyms: turn, go, try

3. Slang.,  a portion or share.

verb phrase

1. whack out,  to produce quickly or, sometimes, carelessly.

   She whacks out a short story every week or so.

2. whack off

   1. to cut off or separate with a blow.

      The cook whacked off the fish's head.

   2. Slang: Vulgar.,  to masturbate.

whack

²

[hwak, wak]

noun

1. a variant of wack.

whack

/ wæk /

verb

1. to strike with a sharp resounding blow

2. informal,  (usually passive) to exhaust completely

3. informal,  (tr; usu foll by in or on) to put something on to or into something else with force or abandon

   whack on some sunscreen

noun

1. slang,  (tr) to murder

   if you were out of line you got whacked

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

3. informal,  a share or portion

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

5. informal,  out of order; unbalanced

   the whole system is out of whack

interjection

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

Other Word Forms

• whacker noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of whack¹

First recorded in 1710–20; originally dialect, Scots form of thwack; whang ², whittle

Word History and Origins

Origin of whack¹

C18: perhaps a variant of _thwack , ultimately of imitative origin

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

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

More idioms and phrases containing whack

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

Example Sentences

I look like I was whacked over the head a couple days ago and then the guy came back to give me another the moment the photographer pressed click.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Sure, I can look at my own waste to determine whether something is out of whack.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In the undercover footage, played to the panel, Mr Sinclair-Birt was seen describing the arrest saying he "whacked....the back of his legs trying to get him to drop to the floor".

Read more on BBC

In a later interview, he called participants of the “No Kings” events “whacked out” and “not representative of this country.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“Not only are the prices out of whack, the same reliever volatility that we were suffering from in that moment can still happen after you make a trade.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• wallop