# whack

/ˈhwæk/ (US) · /wˈæk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/whack
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to hit hard

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to hit something or someone very hard, often with a loud noise.

For teachers: to strike something with a heavy, forceful blow. Transitive — requires a direct object.

- He whacked the ball with his racket and it flew over the fence.
- The carpenter whacked the stubborn wooden peg with a mallet until it finally sat flush against the beam.

Usage: Often used with 'with' to indicate the instrument used for hitting.

### 2. to murder

verb · CEFR C1 · Slang

to kill someone, especially in a planned way by a criminal group.

For teachers: to assassinate or murder someone, typically within the context of organised crime.

- In the movie, the mob boss ordered his men to whack the witness.
- The screenplay depicts a gritty underworld where rivals are whacked over minor territorial disputes.

Teaching tip: This sense is almost exclusively found in crime fiction, films, and news reports about the mafia.

### 3. an attempt

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a try or a chance at doing something.

For teachers: an attempt, turn, or opportunity to perform a task. Usually used in the phrase 'have a whack at'.

- I've never tried fixing a sink before, but I'll have a whack at it.
- After several experts failed to solve the puzzle, the intern decided to take a whack at it during her lunch break.

Usage: Commonly appears in the idiomatic construction 'take a whack at' or 'have a whack at'.

### 4. a loud hit

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

the sound or act of hitting something hard.

For teachers: the physical act of a forceful strike or the resonant sound produced by such an impact.

- The book fell off the shelf with a loud whack on the floor.
- The sudden whack of the branch against the windowpane startled everyone in the silent library.

### 5. backslash character

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Informal

the name for the backslash symbol (\) used in computer paths.

For teachers: a verbal name for the backslash character (\), frequently used when dictating file paths or code.

- To find the file, type C whack users whack documents.
- The administrator dictated the server path as 'double-whack production-one' to ensure the technician typed the backslashes correctly.

Teaching tip: This is jargon used by IT professionals to save time when speaking; 'backslash' is the standard term.

### 6. bad or lame

adjective · CEFR C1 · Slang

very bad, unfair, or disappointing.

For teachers: of poor quality, contemptible, or socially unacceptable. Often spelled 'wack' but sometimes 'whack'.

- That new rule at school is totally whack.
- The fans complained that the concert was whack because the lead singer forgot half the lyrics.

Teaching tip: While 'wack' is the more common spelling for this adjective, 'whack' is a frequent variant in informal writing.

## Examples

- He had to whack the old television to make the picture clear.
- The gardener had to whack the tall weeds with a heavy stick to clear a path.
- After the engine stalled for the third time, the frustrated mechanic decided to whack the starter motor with a mallet, hoping a physical shock would reset the internal components.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.