hackney

Noun
US[hak-nee]/ˈhækni/2 syllables
Synonyms: hackney carriagehackney coach

Open English WordNet

Noun (2)hackneys

  1. a carriage for hireSynonyms: hackney carriagehackney coachType of carriage, equipageKinds four-wheeler, remise
  2. a compact breed of harness horseType of harness horse
Word of the day · Oct 15About this word
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Webster's Dictionary (1913)

Hack′ney (-ny̆), noun; pl. Hackneys (-nĭz).

Origin: 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. Geoffrey 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 adjective

Let out for hire; devoted to common use; hence, much used; trite; mean; as, hackney coaches; hackney authors. “Hackney tongue.” Wentworth Dillon, Lord Roscommon

Hack′ney transitive verb [past tense & past participle Hackneyed (-nĭd); present participle & verbal noun 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.— William Shakespeare

2. To carry in a hackney coach. William Cowper

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54

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