phreak

[freek]

noun

Slang.

1. phone phreak.

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of phreak¹

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.

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

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

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But the phone phreak prank that generated the most publicity and consternation occurred on November 10, 1974.

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At some point the remote tandem would route a call back to the phone phreak, who could then prank the hapless caller.

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