can't hack it
unable to do the job. I thought delivering papers would be an easy job, but I just can't hack it. If you can't hack it, let me know, and I'll help you out.
hack around
Inf. to waste time. I'm just hacking around and doing nothing. Stop hacking around and get to work.
hack (away) at someone or something
to chop at someone or something continuously. The brutal murderer hacked away at his victim. The woodchopper hacked at the tree and finally got it down.
hack one's way through something
Fig. to cut one's way through something. We had to hack our way through the jungle. The surveyors hacked a pathway through the undergrowth.
hack someone (off)
Inf. to annoy someone; to embarrass someone. It really hacks me when you drum your fingers like that. You really hack me off!
hack someone or something apart
1. Lit. to chop up someone or something. The murderer hacked the victim apart. He hacked apart the victim. The butcher hacked the chicken apart.
2. Fig. to criticize someone or something severely. The review just hacked him apart for his poor showing in the play. The critic hacked apart all the actors in the play.
hack something
Inf. to endure something; to deal with something. (The something is usually it.) I don't know if I can hack it. John works very hard, but he can't seem to hack it.
hack something down
to chop something down. Who hacked this cherry tree down? Who hacked down this cherry tree?
hack something off
to chop something off. I need to get up that tree and hack that big branch off before it bangs on the house. Please hack off that big branch.
hack something out of something
and hack something out 1. to cut or chop something out of something. Jill hacked the bone out of the roast. She hacked out the big bone.
2. to fashion something by carving or chiseling from something. He hacked a rabbit out of the chunk of wood. In no time, the carver had hacked out a rabbit.
hack something to something
to cut something up into something roughly or crudely, such as pieces, bits, smithereens. The editor hacked my story to smithereens. Don't hack the turkey to pieces!
hack something up
1. Lit. to chop something up into pieces. (Refers often to wood.) Hack all this old furniture up, and we'll burn it in the fireplace. Hack up this stuff, and we'll burn it.
2. Fig. to damage or mangle something. Who hacked my windowsill up? Who hacked up my table?
hacked (off)
Inf. angry; annoyed. Wally was really hacked off about the accident. Oh, Wally is always hacked about something.
hack away
v.1. To remove something with blows from a sharp instrument: The lumberjack hacked away the larger limbs from the tree before felling it. The gardener used a large pair of shears to hack the dead twigs away.
2. hack away at To reduce or attempt to reduce something in size by chopping off pieces of it: The butcher hacked away at the side of beef to remove the fat.
3. hack away at To reduce something gradually by working at it continuously: I'm hacking away at the pile of reports on my desk.
hack off
v.1. To cut something off, usually with rough or heavy blows: The gardener hacked off the branch with a machete. We hacked the old shingles off the side of the house.
2. Chiefly British To annoy someone: That attitude really hacks me off. The drunken celebrity really hacked off the entertainment reporter.
hack out
v.1. To remove something by chopping or cutting; excise something: The butcher hacked the bone out from the meat. We hacked out the broken shingles from the roof.
2. To fashion something by chopping, cutting, or chiseling: The artist hacked out a statue from a chunk of clay. Let's hack a sculpture out of the ice.
3. Slang To produce something hastily or routinely, such as written material: The reporter hacked out a weekly column. The author hacked three romance novels out every year.
hack up
v.1. To cut or chop something into pieces, usually with little care: The cook hacked up the potatoes and dumped them in the pot. We hacked the wood up and threw it in the fireplace.
2. To mangle or disfigure something, especially by cutting: That barber hacked up your hair badly! I accidentally hacked the shrubs up with the electric clippers.
3. To force something from the throat or lungs and out of the mouth by coughing: The patient hacked some phlegm up. My cat hacked up some blood, so I made an appointment with the vet.
hack
1. n. a taxi. Go out to the street and see if you can get a hack.
2. n. a cough. That’s a nasty hack you’ve got there.
3. n. a professional writer who writes mediocre material to order. This novel shows that even a hack can get something published
4. n. a reporter. Newspaper hacks have to know a little of everything.
5. tv. to write clumsy or inefficient computer programs. I can hack a program for you, but it won’t be what you want.
6. tv. to break into a computer electronically to steal data or corrupt it or for the challenge of breaking in. I’m gonna hack the bank’s computer because they bounced a check of mine.
7. tv. to annoy someone. (see also
hacked (off).)
That kind of behavior hacks her a lot. 8. n. anyone who does poor or undesirable work. Oh, he’s just a hack. What can you expect?
9. n. a prison guard. Watch out, man. The hacks are looking.
10. in. to play with hackysack. They spent all their spare time hacking.
hack around
in. to waste time. I wanted to hack around for a year after college, but my finances disagreed.
hack it
tv. to stand up to something; to endure something. I’m afraid you can’t hack it. It just isn’t working out.
hacked
(hækt) mod. worn-out; ready to quit. What a day! I’m hacked.
hacked (off)
mod. angry; annoyed. Willy was really hacked off about the accident.
hacked
verb