yack

American  

[yak] / yæk /

verb (used without object)

Slang.

1. yak.

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yack British  

/ jæk /

noun

1. a variant spelling of yak 2

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Usage

What does yack mean? Yack is a slang term that means to talk, especially aimlessly, without stopping, and about unimportant things. It is also spelled yak. Yack is typically used at least somewhat negatively to criticize talking in such a way and imply that it is annoying or excessive, as in Would you two stop yacking and help us? The verbs yap, yammer, and jabber are close synonyms. The related slang term yackety-yak is a noun referring to the kind of continuous and trivial conversation or talk that results from yacking. The word yack is sometimes used as a noun to mean the same thing, as is the word yacking, as in I can’t hear myself think with all that yacking. The word chatter can be used as a synonym of both the noun and verb sense of yack. Unrelatedly, yack is sometimes also used as a slang term meaning to vomit, as in Ugh, I feel like I’m going to yack. Example: My mom yacks on the phone with my aunt for hours about anything and everything.

Other Word Forms

• yacker
  noun

Example Sentences

We had a great yack, but I figured they were married.

From The Guardian • Oct. 2, 2010

In Kentucky, C is sank; Y is yack; J is jug.

From Molly Brown of Kentucky by Speed, Nell

Well I thought I'd get a big yack, because Kennedy had a marvelous sense of humor.

From 100 New Yorkers of the 1970s by Millard, Max

Putting his hand on his friend’s arm, he said quite solemnly: “Jug i mum, sank a nun tut, yack o u, tut a lul kuk, Tutno.”

From Molly Brown of Kentucky by Speed, Nell

Dé lende o yack, chiv lis drován opā lakis yakka tevel se rakli. 

From The Gypsies by Leland, Charles Godfrey