hawk

¹

[hawk]

noun

1. any 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.

2. any of several similar, unrelated birds, as the nighthawk.

3. Informal.,  a person who preys on others, as a con artist.

4. Also called war hawk. Informal.,  a person, especially one in public office, who advocates war or a belligerent national attitude.

5. any person who pursues an aggressive policy in business, government, etc..

   The corporation is now run by a bunch of young hawks.

6. Economics.,  an official or advisor who advocates relatively high interest rates or other monetary policies aimed at keeping inflation low.

verb (used without object)

1. to fly, or hunt on the wing, like a hawk.

2. to hunt with hawks.

hawk

²

[hawk]

verb (used with object)

1. to peddle or offer for sale by calling aloud in public.

2. to advertise or offer for sale.

   to hawk soap on television.

3. to spread (rumors, news, etc.).

verb (used without object)

1. to carry wares about for sale; peddle.

hawk

³

[hawk]

verb (used without object)

1. to make an effort to raise phlegm from the throat; clear the throat noisily.

verb (used with object)

1. to raise by noisily clearing the throat.

   to hawk phlegm up.

noun

1. a noisy effort to clear the throat.

hawk

⁴

[hawk]

noun

1. a small, square board with a handle underneath it, used by plasterers and masons to hold plaster or mortar being applied.

Hawk

⁵

[hawk]

noun

Military.

1. a medium-range, mobile U.S. surface-to-air missile system.

hawk

¹

/ hɔːk /

noun

1. 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

2. any of various other falconiform birds, including the falcons but not the eagles or vultures

3. a person who advocates or supports war or warlike policies Compare dove 1

4. a ruthless or rapacious person

5. to be able to judge things; be discerning

verb

1. (intr) to hunt with falcons, hawks, etc

2. (intr) (of falcons or hawks) to fly in quest of prey

3. to pursue or attack on the wing, as a hawk

hawk

²

/ hɔːk /

verb

1. (intr) to clear the throat noisily

2. (tr) to force (phlegm) up from the throat

3. a slang word for spit 1

noun

1. a noisy clearing of the throat

hawk

³

/ hɔːk /

verb

1. to offer (goods) for sale, as in the street

2. to spread (news, gossip, etc)

hawk

⁴

/ hɔːk /

noun

1. Also called: mortar board. a small square board with a handle underneath, used for carrying wet plaster or mortar

Other Word Forms

• hawklike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hawk¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English hauk(e), Old English hafoc; cognate with Old Frisian havek, Old Saxon habuc, Old High German habuh, Old Norse haukr “hawk”

Origin of hawk²

First recorded in 1470–80; back formation from hawker ²

Origin of hawk³

First recorded in 1575–85; imitative

Origin of hawk⁴

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; perhaps variant of hache “battle-ax” ( hatchet )

Origin of hawk⁵

H(oming) A(ll the) W(ay) K(iller)

Word History and Origins

Origin of hawk¹

from Shakespeare ( Hamlet II:2:375); handsaw is probably a corruption of dialect heronshaw heron

Origin of hawk²

C16: of imitative origin; see _haw ²

Origin of hawk³

C16: back formation from _hawker ¹

Origin of hawk⁴

of unknown origin

Idioms and Phrases

see watch like a hawk.

Example Sentences

Will, a tutor, is trapped inside teaching Latin the first time he spots his future bride romping around in the grass with a hawk on her arm.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

While the hawks could win the December debate, the doves’ case appears stronger for 2026.

Read more on MarketWatch

Rosenberg counted 12 dovish comments compared with 16 from policy hawks in the minutes.

Read more on Barron's

But there has long been a vociferous collection of China hawks in Parliament, who have long worried about what they see as a collective naivety about Beijing.

Read more on BBC

Takaichi, a conservative and China hawk, has toned down her rhetoric since assuming office last month.

Read more on Barron's