hacking
hacking Lexical Profile
hacking Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The act or practice of gaining unauthorized access to data in a computer system or network, or of cleverly modifying computer hardware or software.
"The cybersecurity firm specializes in protecting financial institutions against corporate hacking and data breaches."
The action of cutting, chopping, or striking something with rough, heavy blows.
"Years of indiscriminate hacking at the dense undergrowth had left the forest trail uneven and scarred."
British The recreational activity of riding a horse across the countryside or along roads for pleasure and light exercise.
"The equestrian center offers scenic trails across the moors for weekend hacking."
• adjective
Short, dry, frequent, and rough (used especially of a cough).
"The patient visited the clinic after developing a persistent hacking cough that kept him awake at night."
• Rhymes for hacking
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the verb hack, from Old English تو haccian ('to cut in pieces'). The modern computing sense emerged at MIT in the late 1950s and 1960s, originally referring to clever technical experimentation before shifting to unauthorized network intrusion.