ack-ack

Or Ack-Ack

[ak-ak]

noun

Informal.

1. antiaircraft fire.

2. antiaircraft arms.

ack-ack

/ ˈækˌæk /

noun

1. 1. anti-aircraft fire

   2. ( as modifier )

      ack-ack guns

2. anti-aircraft arms

Word History and Origins

Origin of ack-ack¹

1935–40; for A.A. (abbreviation of a(nti) a(ircraft) ) as said by British signalmen referring to sense 2

Word History and Origins

Origin of ack-ack¹

C20: British army World War I phonetic alphabet for AA, abbreviation of anti-aircraft

Example Sentences

“The surface vessels were throwing up a tremendous barrage of ack-ack fire.”

Read more on New York Times

More recent history lies in the second world war ack-ack gun emplacements, still in good shape, but more and more engulfed by the vegetation every year.

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Atkinson beautifully conjures London under siege, with the blackout and the bombing and the “ack-ack guns being assembled” in Hyde Park.

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Gun crews at army posts along the coastline began pumping ack-ack into the moonlight.

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Tales are legion of journalists prepared with probing, deeply researched questions who find themselves confronted with answers consisting of “Yeah,” “No” or “I don’t know” spit back at them like ack-ack fire.

Read more on Salon