shack

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)

CIDE DICTIONARY

shack, v. t. [Prov. E., to shake, to shed. See Shake.].

•  To shed or fall, as corn or grain at harvest.  Grose.  [1913 Webster]
•  To feed in stubble, or upon waste corn.  [1913 Webster]
•  To wander as a vagabond or a tramp.  [1913 Webster]

shack, n. [Cf. Shack, v. i.].

 a small simple dwelling, usually having only one room and of flimsy construction; a hut; a shanty; a cabin.

shack, n. [Cf. Scot. shag refuse of barley or oats.].

•  The grain left after harvest or gleaning; also, nuts which have fallen to the ground.  [1913 Webster]
•  Liberty of winter pasturage.  [1913 Webster]
•  A shiftless fellow; a low, itinerant beggar; a vagabond; a tramp.  Forby.  [1913 Webster]

  "All the poor old shacks about the town found a friend in Deacon Marble."  [1913 Webster]

  "These miserable shacks are so low that their occupants cannot stand erect."  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Common of shack (Eng.Law), the right of persons occupying lands lying together in the same common field to turn out their cattle to range in it after harvest. Cowell.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

shack, n. & v.
--n. a roughly built hut or cabin.
--v.intr. (foll. by up) sl. cohabit, esp. as lovers.

Etymology

perh. f. Mex. jacal, Aztec xacatli wooden hut

THESAURUS

shack

Nissen hut, Quonset hut, booth, box, bum, cabin, caboose, camp, cot, cottage, crib, derelict, drifter, dump, floater, garrote, gatehouse, hobo, hovel, hut, hutch, kiosk, lean-to, lodge, outbuilding, outhouse, pavilion, sentry box, shanty, shed, stall, street arab, tollbooth, tollhouse, tramp, traveler

ROGET THESAURUS

shack

Abode

N abode, dwelling, lodging, domicile, residence, apartment, place, digs, pad, address, habitation, where one's lot is cast, local habitation, berth, diggings, seat, lap, sojourn, housing, quarters, headquarters, resiance, tabernacle, throne, ark, home, fatherland, country, homestead, homestall, fireside, hearth, hearth stone, chimney corner, inglenook, ingle side, harem, seraglio, zenana, household gods, lares et penates, roof, household, housing, dulce domum, paternal domicile, native soil, native land, habitat, range, stamping ground, haunt, hangout, biosphere, environment, ecological niche, nest, nidus, snuggery, arbor, bower, lair, den, cave, hole, hiding place, cell, sanctum sanctorum, aerie, eyrie, eyry, rookery, hive, covert, resort, retreat, perch, roost, nidification, kala jagah, bivouac, camp, encampment, cantonment, castrametation, barrack, casemate, casern, tent, building, chamber, xenodochium, tenement, messuage, farm, farmhouse, grange, hacienda, toft, cot, cabin, hut, chalet, croft, shed, booth, stall, hovel, bothy, shanty, dugout, wigwam, pen, barn, bawn, kennel, sty, doghold, cote, coop, hutch, byre, cow house, cow shed, stable, dovecote, columbary, columbarium, shippen, igloo, iglu, jacal, lacustrine dwelling, lacuslake dwelling, lacuspile dwelling, log cabin, log house, shack, shebang, tepee, topek, house, mansion, place, villa, cottage, box, lodge, hermitage, rus in urbe, folly, rotunda, tower, chateau, castle, pavilion, hotel, court, manor-house, capital messuage, hall, palace, kiosk, bungalow, casa, country seat, apartment house, flat house, frame house, shingle house, tenement house, temple, hamlet, village, thorp, dorp, ham, kraal, borough, burgh, town, city, capital, metropolis, suburb, province, country, county town, county seat, courthouse, ghetto, street, place, terrace, parade, esplanade, alameda, board walk, embankment, road, row, lane, alley, court, quadrangle, quad, wynd, close, yard, passage, rents, buildings, mews, square, polygon, circus, crescent, mall, piazza, arcade, colonnade, peristyle, cloister, gardens, grove, residences, block of buildings, market place, place, plaza, anchorage, roadstead, roads, dock, basin, wharf, quay, port, harbor, quarter, parish, assembly room, meetinghouse, pump room, spa, watering place, inn, hostel, hostelry, hotel, tavern, caravansary, dak bungalow, khan, hospice, public house, pub, pot house, mug house, gin mill, gin palace, bar, bar room, barrel house, cabaret, chophouse, club, clubhouse, cookshop, dive, exchange, grill room, saloon, shebeen, coffee house, eating house, canteen, restaurant, buffet, cafe, estaminet, posada, almshouse, poorhouse, townhouse, garden, park, pleasure ground, plaisance, demesne, cage, terrarium, doghouse, pen, aviary, barn, stall, zoo, urban, metropolitan, suburban, provincial, rural, rustic, domestic, cosmopolitan, palatial, eigner Hert ist goldes Werth, even cities have their graves, ubi libertas ibi patria, home sweet home.