hack (redirected from hackeries)

can't hack it

unable to do the job. I thought delivering papers would be an easy job, but I just can't hack it. If you can't hack it, let me know, and I'll help you out.

hack (away) at someone or something

to chop at someone or something continuously. The brutal murderer hacked away at his victim. The woodchopper hacked at the tree and finally got it down.

hack someone or something apart 

1. Lit. to chop up someone or something. The murderer hacked the victim apart. He hacked apart the victim. The butcher hacked the chicken apart.

2. Fig. to criticize someone or something severely. The review just hacked him apart for his poor showing in the play. The critic hacked apart all the actors in the play.

See also: apart

hack someone (off)

Inf. to annoy someone; to embarrass someone. It really hacks me when you drum your fingers like that. You really hack me off!

hack something

Inf. to endure something; to deal with something. (The something is usually it.) I don't know if I can hack it. John works very hard, but he can't seem to hack it.

hack something down

to chop something down. Who hacked this cherry tree down? Who hacked down this cherry tree?

hack something off

to chop something off. I need to get up that tree and hack that big branch off before it bangs on the house. Please hack off that big branch.

hack something out of something and hack something out 

1. to cut or chop something out of something. Jill hacked the bone out of the roast. She hacked out the big bone.

2. to fashion something by carving or chiseling from something. He hacked a rabbit out of the chunk of wood. In no time, the carver had hacked out a rabbit.

See also: out

hack something to something

to cut something up into something roughly or crudely, such as pieces, bits, smithereens. The editor hacked my story to smithereens. Don't hack the turkey to pieces!

hack something up 

1. Lit. to chop something up into pieces. (Refers often to wood.) Hack all this old furniture up, and we'll burn it in the fireplace. Hack up this stuff, and we'll burn it.

2. Fig. to damage or mangle something. Who hacked my windowsill up? Who hacked up my table?

See also: up

hack around

Inf. to waste time. I'm just hacking around and doing nothing. Stop hacking around and get to work.

See also: around

hack one's way through something

Fig. to cut one's way through something. We had to hack our way through the jungle. The surveyors hacked a pathway through the undergrowth.

See also: through, way

hacked (off)

Inf. angry; annoyed. Wally was really hacked off about the accident. Oh, Wally is always hacked about something.

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not hack it

to be unable to work or deal with something effectively Most people think he just can't hack it in this business anymore.