sack

[ sak ]

/ sæk /

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See synonyms for: sack / sacked / sacking on Thesaurus.com

noun

a large bag of strong, coarsely woven material, as for grain, potatoes, or coal.

the amount a sack holds.

a bag: a sack of candy.

the sack, Informal. dismissal or discharge, as from a job: to get the sack.

the sack, Slang. bed, often as the site of sexual activity: It's past noon, but I bet that lazybones is still in the sack.If you want the relationship to be more than just a night in the sack, you have to work at it.

Also sacque .

a loose-fitting dress, as a gown with a Watteau back, especially one fashionable in the late 17th century and much of the 18th century.
a loose-fitting coat, jacket, or cape.

Baseball. a base.

South Midland U.S. the udder of a cow.

verb (used with object)

to put into a sack or sacks.

Football. to tackle (the quarterback) behind the line of scrimmage before the quarterback is able to throw a pass.

Informal. to dismiss or discharge, as from a job.

Verb Phrases

sack out, Slang. to go to bed; fall asleep.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Idioms about sack

hit the sack, Slang. to go to bed; go to sleep: He never hits the sack before midnight.

leave holding the sack. bag (def. 30).

Origin of sack

First recorded before 1000; 1940–45 for def. 5; Middle English noun sak, sak(k)e Old English sacc, from Latin saccus “bag, sack, sackcloth,” from Greek sákkos “bag made from goat hair, sieve, burlap, large cloak (as for a wedding dress),” from Semitic; compare Hebrew, Phoenician śaq “cloth made of hair, bag, mourning dress”

regional variations of sack

See bag.

OTHER WORDS FROM sack

sack·like, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH sack

sac, sack , sacque

Words nearby sack

sachet, sac hit, Sachs, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, sack, sackable, sackbut, sackcloth, sackcloth and ashes, sack coat

Other definitions for sack (2 of 3)

sack²

[ sak ]

/ sæk /

verb (used with object)

to pillage or loot after capture; plunder: to sack a city.

noun

the plundering of a captured place; pillage: the sack of Troy.

OTHER WORDS FOR sack

1 spoil, despoil.

2 looting; destruction, ruin.

See synonyms for sack on Thesaurus.com

Origin of sack

First recorded in 1540–50; from Middle French phrase mettre à sac “to put to pillage”; sac, in this sense from Italian sacco “looting, loot,” shortened form of saccomano, from Middle High German sakman “pillager” (conformed to sacco sack¹)

synonym study for sack

1. See rob.

Other definitions for sack (3 of 3)

sack³

[ sak ]

/ sæk /

noun

a strong light-colored wine formerly imported from Spain and the Canary Islands.

Origin of sack

First recorded in 1525–35; from French (vin ) sec “dry (wine),” from Latin siccus “dry”; cf. sec¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use sack in a sentence

If Watson takes more sacks, it isn’t necessarily evidence that his offensive line does a worse job of protecting him.
Scheme (And Sacks) Might Be All That Separate Patrick Mahomes And Deshaun Watson|Josh Hermsmeyer|September 10, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Some have argued that Watson’s higher career sack total is proof of a more challenging team environment, but research strongly suggests that sacks are something over which a QB has the most control.
Scheme (And Sacks) Might Be All That Separate Patrick Mahomes And Deshaun Watson|Josh Hermsmeyer|September 10, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
New England easily led the NFL in interception rate and ranked sixth in sack rate.
Newton Can Replace Brady, But Can The Pats Replace Half Of Their Defense?|Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com)|September 3, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
How to clean a jute sackBy the time you get them, your coffee sacks will have travelled halfway around the world, if not further, so don’t be surprised if they are hard-used, wrinkled, and a bit dirty.
Five cool ways to upcycle old coffee sacks|Harry Guinness|August 27, 2020|Popular-Science

If you’re visiting your roaster in person, you’ll likely be able to pick out whatever sacks you want, but if you buy them online, you’ll probably just get a random assortment.
Five cool ways to upcycle old coffee sacks|Harry Guinness|August 27, 2020|Popular-Science
You, dear reader and refusenik, will likely be called a cynic or a sad sack by friends.
The Refuseniks Hiding From ‘Happy New Year’|Lizzie Crocker|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Listen, I took a pretty hard shot to the sack with that crash.
The Walking Dead’s ‘Self Help’: A Grim Show Displays Its Comedy Streak, and A Major Reveal|Melissa Leon|November 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Last Sunday, he suited up for the Panthers, registering one sack and four tackles.
The NFL Is Full of Ray Rices|Robert Silverman|September 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For a moment, I measured the risk of carrying that sack in public.
China’s Blood Ivory Bazaar|Brendon Hong|June 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In order to prove his Ironborn status, he decides to lead a mini army to sack a depleted Winterfell when they least expect it.
Game of Thrones’ 8 Most Gruesome Deaths: From The Mountain’s Exploding Head Kill to Rat Torture|Marlow Stern|June 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The fighting section of the Filipinos was intensely irritated at not having been allowed to enter and sack the capital.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
The rope from his middle, a bottle of sack from his bosom, and a link of hog's puddings, pulled out of his left sleeve.
The Battle of Hexham;|George Colman
She has a grey body, plump as a sack of meal, with little white speckles, a funny neck and such a small head with a tuft on top.
Seven O'Clock Stories|Robert Gordon Anderson
Each bore upon his back a great Chimra, heavy as a sack of coal, or as the equipment of a foot-soldier of Rome.
Charles Baudelaire, His Life|Thophile Gautier
Talked all night about burros, gasoline, & camphor balls which he seemed wanting to buy in gunny sack.
Cabin Fever|B. M. Bower

British Dictionary definitions for sack (1 of 3)

sack¹

/ (sæk) /

noun

a large bag made of coarse cloth, thick paper, etc, used as a container

Also called: sackful the amount contained in a sack, sometimes used as a unit of measurement

a woman's loose tube-shaped dress
Also called: sacque a woman's full loose hip-length jacket, worn in the 18th and mid-20th centuries

short for rucksack

cricket, Australian a run scored off a ball not struck by the batsman: allotted to the team as an extra and not to the individual batsmanAlso called (in Britain and certain other countries): bye

the sack informal dismissal from employment

a slang word for bed

hit the sack slang to go to bed

rough as sacks NZ uncouth

verb (tr)

informal to dismiss from employment

to put into a sack or sacks

Derived forms of sack

sacklike, adjective

Word Origin for sack

Old English sacc, from Latin saccus bag, from Greek sakkos; related to Hebrew saq

British Dictionary definitions for sack (2 of 3)

sack²

/ (sæk) /

noun

the plundering of a place by an army or mob, usually involving destruction, slaughter, etc

American football a tackle on a quarterback which brings him down before he has passed the ball

verb

(tr) to plunder and partially destroy (a place)

American football to tackle and bring down a quarterback before he has passed the ball

Derived forms of sack

sacker, noun

Word Origin for sack

C16: from French phrase mettre à sac, literally: to put (loot) in a sack, from Latin saccus sack 1

British Dictionary definitions for sack (3 of 3)

sack³

/ (sæk) /

noun

archaic or trademark any dry white wine formerly imported into Britain from SW Europe

Word Origin for sack

C16 wyne seck, from French vin sec dry wine, from Latin siccus dry

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with sack

sack

In addition to the idiom beginning with sack

sack out

also see:

get the ax (sack)
hit the hay (sack)
sad sack

sack

Idioms about sack

Origin of sack

regional variations of sack

OTHER WORDS FROM sack

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH sack

Words nearby sack

Other definitions for sack (2 of 3)

OTHER WORDS FOR sack

Origin of sack

synonym study for sack

Other definitions for sack (3 of 3)

Origin of sack

Words related to sack

How to use sack in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sack (1 of 3)

Derived forms of sack

Word Origin for sack

British Dictionary definitions for sack (2 of 3)

Derived forms of sack

Word Origin for sack

British Dictionary definitions for sack (3 of 3)

Word Origin for sack

Other Idioms and Phrases with sack