WHACK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does whack mean? 

• WHACK (noun)
  The noun WHACK has 2 senses:

1. the sound made by a sharp swift blow

2. the act of hitting vigorously

  Familiarity information: WHACK used as a noun is rare.

• WHACK (verb)
  The verb WHACK has 1 sense:

1. hit hard

  Familiarity information: WHACK used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WHACK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The sound made by a sharp swift blow

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("whack" is a kind of...):

sound (the sudden occurrence of an audible event)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of hitting vigorously

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

belt; knock; rap; whack; whang

Context example:

he gave the table a whack

Hypernyms ("whack" is a kind of...):

blow (a powerful stroke with the fist or a weapon)

Derivation:

whack (hit hard)

• WHACK (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they whack    ... he / she / it whacks   
Past simple: whacked   
Past participle: whacked   
-ing form: whacking   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Hit hard

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

wallop; whack; wham; whop

Context example:

The teacher whacked the boy

Hypernyms (to "whack" is one way to...):

hit (deal a blow to, either with the hand or with an instrument)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

The fighter managed to whack his opponent

Derivation:

whack (the act of hitting vigorously)

whacking (the act of inflicting corporal punishment with repeated blows)

 Context examples 

Life can whack me about now, and it can't leave a mark.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"It got half of it," he announced; "but I got a whack at it jes' the same. D'ye hear it squeal?"

(White Fang, by Jack London)

But when the system gets out of whack, the cycle breaks down and endangers the reef's health.

(Too much algae and too many microbes threaten coral reefs, NSF)

Ss-whack! ss-whack! ss-whack! went the horse-whips—for a number of the spectators, either driven onwards by the pressure behind or willing to risk some physical pain on the chance of getting a better view, had crept under the ropes and formed a ragged fringe within the outer ring.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It's damned tame, whatever it is, comin' in here at feedin' time an' gettin' its whack of fish.

(White Fang, by Jack London)