HACKNEY

hackney

(noun) a compact breed of harness horse

hackney, hackney carriage, hackney coach

(noun) a carriage for hire

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Proper noun

Hackney

A London borough in Greater London, England, where once upon a time many horses were pastured.

A town in eastern London, England, in this borough.

An English habitational surname.

One of several breeds of compact English horses: see hackney

(in compounds) (means of transportation): see hackney.

Etymology

Noun

hackney (plural hackneys)

(archaic) An ordinary horse.

A carriage for hire or a cab.

A horse used to ride or drive.

A breed of English horse.

(archaic) A hired drudge; a hireling; a prostitute.

Adjective

hackney (not comparable)

Offered for hire; hence, much used; trite; mean.

Verb

hackney (third-person singular simple present hackneys, present participle hackneying, simple past and past participle hackneyed)

(transitive) To make uninteresting or trite by frequent use.

(transitive) To use as a hackney.

(transitive) To carry in a hackney coach.

Source: Wiktionary


Hack"ney, n.; pl. Hackneys. Etym: [OE. haceney, hacenay; cf. F. haquenée a pacing horse, an ambling nag, OF. also haquenée, Sp. hacanea, OSp. facanea, D. hakkenei, also OF. haque horse, Sp. haca, OSp. faca; perh akin to E. hack to cut, and orig. meaning, a jolting horse. Cf. Hack a horse, Nag.]

1. A horse for riding or driving; a nag; a pony. Chaucer.

2. A horse or pony kept for hire.

3. A carriage kept for hire; a hack; a hackney coach.

4. A hired drudge; a hireling; a prostitute.

Hack"ney, a.

Definition: Let out for hire; devoted to common use; hence, much used; trite; mean; as, hackney coaches; hackney authors. "Hackney tongue." Roscommon.

Hack"ney, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hackneyed; p. pr. & vb. n. Hackneying.]

1. To devote to common or frequent use, as a horse or carriage; to wear out in common service; to make trite or commonplace; as, a hackneyed metaphor or quotation. Had I lavish of my presence been, So common-hackneyed in the eyes of men. Shak.

2. To carry in a hackney coach. Cowper.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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