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

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

From New York Times • Sep. 21, 2017

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

From Salon • Feb. 16, 2013

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

From Salon • Feb. 16, 2013

Swartz was too young to be a phone phreak like Tufte.

From Slate • Feb. 1, 2013

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

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline