phreak

American  

[freek] / frik /

noun

Slang.

1. phone phreak.

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verb (used without object)

phreaked, phreaking

1. to act as a phone phreak.

verb (used with object)

phreaked, phreaking

1. to tamper with (telephones) as a phone phreak does.

Etymology

Origin of phreak

First recorded in 1970–75; altered spelling of freak ¹ ( def. 6 ), copying ph- of phone ¹

Example Sentences

“The captain” was Cap’n Crunch, and “the whistle” was the famous toy plastic whistle of phone phreak lore.

From Literature

Everyone is his own cognitive hacker, his own potential phone phreak.

From New York Times

Woz adopted the phone phreak handle “Berkeley Blue” while Jobs became “Oaf Tobar.”

From Salon

In addition to going door to door they had another sales channel through a random phone phreak acquaintance in Los Angeles.

From Salon

Schoolsky, better known as Johnny Bagel in Los Angeles phone phreak circles, had been introduced to the hobby by L.A. phreak Al Diamond and his telephone joke lines.

From Salon