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Webster 1913 Edition


Hackney

Hack′ney

(-ny̆)
,
Noun.
;
pl.
Hackneys
(-nĭz)
.
[OE.
hakeney
,
hakenay
; cf. F.
haguenée
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
nag
, 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

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Hackneyed
(-nĭd)
;
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 so lavish of my presence been,
So common-
hackneyed
in the eyes of men.
Shakespeare
2.
To carry in a hackney coach.
Cowper.

Webster 1828 Edition


Hackney

HACK'NEY

, n.
1.
A pad; a nag; a pony.
2.
A horse kept for hire; a horse much used.
3.
A coach or other carriage kept for hire, and often exposed in the streets of cities. The word is sometimes contracted to hack.
4.
Any thing much used or used in common; a hireling; a prostitute.

HACK'NEY

,
Adj.
Let out for hire; devoted to common use; as a hackney-coach.
1.
Prostitute; vicious for hire.
2.
Much used; common; trite; as a hackney author or remark.

HACK'NEY

,
Verb.
T.
To use much; to practice in one thing; to make
trite.
1.
To carry in a hackney-coach.