HACKNEYS

Noun

hackneys

plural of hackney

Verb

hackneys

Third-person singular simple present indicative form of hackney

Source: Wiktionary


HACKNEY

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.

HACKNEY

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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Word of the Day

29 June 2025

ADMIRABLE

(adjective) deserving of the highest esteem or admiration; “an estimable young professor”; “trains ran with admirable precision”; “his taste was impeccable, his health admirable”


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Coffee Trivia

The word “coffee” entered the English language in 1582 via the Dutch “koffie,” borrowed from the Ottoman Turkish “kahve,” borrowed in turn from the Arabic “qahwah.” The Arabic word qahwah was traditionally held to refer to a type of wine.

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