hackney

noun hack·ney \ ˈhak-nē \

Definition of hackney

plural hackneys

1 a : a horse suitable for ordinary riding or driving

b : a trotting horse used chiefly for driving

c often capitalized : any of an English breed of rather compact usually chestnut, bay, or brown high-stepping horses

2 obsolete : one that works for hire

3 : a carriage or automobile kept for hire

See hackney defined for kids

Illustration of hackney

Origin and Etymology of hackney

Middle English hakeney

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First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

hackney

adjective

Definition of hackney

1 : kept for public hire

2 : hackneyed

3 archaic : done or suitable for doing by a drudge

Examples of hackney in a Sentence

she quickly learned to ignore her children's hackney complaints like “It isn't fair” and “Why me?”

First Known Use of hackney

15th century

hackney Synonyms

Synonyms

banal, cliché (also cliche), clichéd, cobwebby, commonplace, hack, stale, hackneyed, moth-eaten, musty, obligatory, shopworn, stereotyped, threadbare, timeworn, tired, trite, well-worn

Antonyms

fresh, new, novel, original, unclichéd, unhackneyed

Near Antonyms

animating, energizing, enlivening, exciting, galvanizing, invigorating, stimulating; absorbing, engaging, engrossing, gripping, interesting, intriguing, involving, riveting; atypical, extraordinary, strange, unaccustomed, uncommon, unfamiliar, unheard-of, unknown, unprecedented, unusual; pathbreaking, pioneering, trailblazing

hackney

verb

Definition of hackney

hackneyed; hackneying

transitive verb

1 a : to make common or frequent use of

b : to make trite, vulgar, or commonplace

2 archaic : to make sophisticated or jaded

Examples of hackney in a Sentence

advertisers have hackneyed the word “revolutionary” so much that it now just means that a product is new

Recent Examples of hackney from the Web

Director Zach Braff runs in the opposite direction of these stereotypes and all other things hackneyed, crafting an enjoyable time at the movies.

— peter hartlaub, Orange County Register, "New ‘Going in Style’ grows old gracefully," 6 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hackney.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.