whack

• POS: Interjection, Noun, Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

whack, v. t. [Cf. Thwack.].

•  To strike; to beat; to give a heavy or resounding blow to; to thrash; to make with whacks.  [1913 Webster]

  "Rodsmen were whackingtheir way through willow brakes."  [1913 Webster]
•  To divide into shares; as, to whack the spoils of a robbery; -- often with up.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

whack, v. i. 

 To strike anything with a smart blow.  [1913 Webster]

To whack away, to continue striking heavy blows; as, to whack away at a log. [Colloq.]

whack, n. 

•  A smart resounding blow.  [1913 Webster]
•  A portion; share; allowance.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  an attempt; as, to take a whack at it.  [PJC]

-- Out of whack, out of order. [Slang]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

whack, v. & n. colloq.
--v.tr.
1 strike or beat forcefully with a sharp blow.
2 (as whacked adj.) esp. Brit. tired out; exhausted.
--n.
1 a sharp or resounding blow.
2 sl. a share.

Idiom

have a whack at sl. attempt. out of whack esp. US sl. out of order; malfunctioning.

Derivative

whacker n. whacking n.

Etymology

imit., or alt. of THWACK

THESAURUS

whack

approach, assay, attempt, bang, bash, bat, beating, belt, bid, biff, blow, bonk, bout, box, box the ears, buffet, bump, burst, bust, catch, chance, chop, clap, clash, clip, clobber, clout, clump, coldcock, crack, crash, crump, cuff, cut, dash, deal, deal a blow, deck, dig, ding, dint, drub, drubbing, drumming, effort, endeavor, essay, experiment, fetch, fetch a blow, flap, fling, flop, fusillade, gambit, go, hit, hit a clip, inning, innings, jab, knock, knock cold, knock down, knock out, let have it, lick, move, offer, opportunity, paste, pelt, place, plunk, poke, pop, pound, punch, rap, relief, report, round, say, shot, slam, slap, slap the face, slat, slog, slug, smack, smash, smite, snap, soak, sock, spell, splat, stab, stagger, step, strike, strike at, stroke, strong bid, swap, swat, swing, swipe, tap, tattoo, tentative, thump, thwack, time, time at bat, token punishment, trial, trial and error, try, turn, undertaking, wallop, wham, whap, whirl, whomp, whop, yerk

ROGET THESAURUS

whack

Impulse

N impulse, sudden thought, impromptu, improvisation, inspiration, flash, spurt, improvisatore, creature of impulse, extemporaneous, impulsive, indeliberate, snap, improvised, improvisate, improvisatory, unpremeditated, unmeditated, improvise, unprompted, unguided, natural, unguarded, spontaneous, instinctive, extempore, extemporaneously, offhand, impromptu, a limproviste, improviso, on the spur of the moment, on the spur of the occasion, impulse, impulsion, impetus, momentum, push, pulsion, thrust, shove, jog, jolt, brunt, booming, boost, throw, explosion, propulsion, percussion, concussion, collision, occursion, clash, encounter, cannon, carambole, appulse, shock, crash, bump, impact, elan, charge, beating, blow, dint, stroke, knock, tap, rap, slap, smack, pat, dab, fillip, slam, bang, hit, whack, thwack, cuff, squash, dowse, swap, whap, punch, thump, pelt, kick, punce, calcitration, ruade, arietation, cut, thrust, lunge, yerk, carom, carrom, clip, jab, plug, sidewinder, sidewipe, sideswipe, hammer, sledge hammer, mall, maul, mallet, flail, ram, rammer, battering ram, monkey, pile-driving engine, punch, bat, cant hook, cudgel, ax, dynamics, seismometer, accelerometer, earthquake detector, impelling, impulsive, impellent, booming, dynamic, dynamical, impelled, a hit, a very palpable hit.

VB flash on the mind, say what comes uppermost, improvise, extemporize, give an impetus, impel, push, start, give a start to, set going, drive, urge, boom, thrust, prod, foin, cant, elbow, shoulder, jostle, justle, hustle, hurtle, shove, jog, jolt, encounter, run against, bump against, butt against, knock one's head against, run one's head against, impinge, boost, bunt, carom, clip y, fan, fan out, jab, plug, strike, knock, hit, tap, rap, slap, flap, dab, pat, thump, beat, blow, bang, slam, dash, punch, thwack, whack, hit hard, strike hard, swap, batter, dowse, baste, pelt, patter, buffet, belabor, fetch one a blow, poke at, pink, lunge, yerk, kick, calcitrate, butt, strike at, whip, come into a collision, enter into collision, collide, sideswipe, foul, fall foul of, run foul of, telescope, throw.

Snap

N snap, rapping, decrepitation, crepitation, report, thud, burst, explosion, blast, boom, discharge, detonation, firing, salvo, volley, squib, cracker, firecracker, cherry bomb, M, gun, cap, cap gun, popgun, implosion, bomb burst, atomic explosion, nuclear explosion (arms), gunpowder, dynamite, gun cotton, nitroglycerine, nitrocellulose, plastic explosive, plastique, TNT, cordite, trinitrotoluene, picric acid, picrates, mercury fulminate (arms), whack, wham, pow, rapping, Int, kaboom!, whamo!, Heewhack!, pow!.

VB rap, snap, tap, knock, ping, click, clash, crack, crackle, crash, pop, slam, bang, blast, boom, clap, clang, clack, whack, wham, brustle, burst on the ear, crepitate, rump, blow up, blow, detonate.