sack en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /sæk/ (Australia, Received-Pronunciation, US)
- /sak/ (British, Northern-England, Scotland, Southern, Standard, Wales)
- (US) audio
- /sɛk/ (New-Zealand)
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
From Middle English sak, sek, sach, zech (“bag, sackcloth”), from Old English sacc (“sack, bag”) and sæċċ (“sackcloth, sacking”); both from Proto-West Germanic *sakku, from late Proto-Germanic *sakkuz (“sack”), borrowed from Latin saccus (“large bag”), from Ancient Greek σάκκος (sákkos, “bag of coarse cloth”), from Semitic, possibly Phoenician or Hebrew. Cognate with Dutch zak, German Sack, Swedish säck, Danish sæk, Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk sekk, Faroese and Icelandic sekkur, Hebrew שַׂק (śaq, “sack, sackcloth”), Aramaic סַקָּא, Classical Syriac ܣܩܐ, Ge'ez ሠቅ (śäḳ), Akkadian 𒆭𒊓 (saqqu), Egyptian sꜣgꜣ. Doublet of sac, saccus, saco, and sakkos. Černý and Forbes suggest the word was originally Egyptian, a nominal derivative of sꜣq (“to gather or put together”) that also yielded Coptic ⲥⲟⲕ (sok, “sackcloth”) and was borrowed into Greek perhaps by way of a Semitic intermediary. However, Vycichl and Hoch reject this idea, noting that such an originally Egyptian word would be expected to yield Hebrew *סַק rather than שַׂק. Instead, they posit that the Coptic and Greek words are both borrowed from Semitic, with the Coptic word perhaps developing via Egyptian sꜣgꜣ. Sense evolution * “Pillage” senses from the use of sacks in carrying off plunder. From Middle French sac, shortened from the phrase mettre à sac (“put it in a bag”), a military command to pillage; also parallel meaning with Italian sacco (“plunder”), from Medieval Latin saccō (“pillage”). From Vulgar Latin saccare (“to plunder”), from saccus (“sack”). See also ransack. American football “tackle” sense from this “plunder, conquer” root. * “Removal from employment” senses attested since 1825; the original formula was “to give (someone) the sack”, likely from the notion of a worker going off with his tools in a sack, or being given such a sack for his personal belongings as part of an expedient severance. Idiom exists earlier in French (on luy a donné son sac, 17c.) and Middle Dutch (iemand den zak geven). English verb in this sense recorded from 1841. Current verb, to sack (“to fire”) carries influence from the forceful nature of “plunder, tackle” verb senses. * Slang meaning “bunk, bed” is attested since 1825, originally nautical, likely in reference to sleeping bags. The verb meaning “go to bed” is recorded from 1946. * Slang meaning "scrotum" is an ellipsis of ballsack.
Meanings
- A bag; especially a large bag of strong, coarse material for storage and handling of various commodities, such as potatoes, coal, coffee; or, a bag with handles used at a supermarket, a grocery sack; or, a small bag for small items, a satchel.
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The amount a sack holds; also, an archaic or historical measure of varying capacity, depending on commodity type and according to local usage; an old English measure of weight, usually of wool, equal to 13 stone (182 pounds), or in other sources, 26 stone (364 pounds).
Seven pounds make a clove, 2 cloves a stone, 2 stone a tod, 6 1/2 tods a wey, 2 weys a sack, 12 sacks a last. [...] It is to be observed here that a sack is 13 tods, and a tod 28 pounds, so that the sack is 364 pounds.
1843, The Penny Cyclopaedia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, volume 27, page 202:The American sack of salt is 215 pounds; the sack of wheat, two bushels. — .
Generally, however, the stone or petra, almost always of 14 lbs., is used, the tod of 28 lbs., and the sack of thirteen stone.
1882, James Edwin Thorold Rogers, A History of Agriculture and Prices in England, volume 4, page 209:
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(uncountable) The plunder and pillaging of a captured town or city.
the sack of Rome
- (uncountable) Loot or booty obtained by pillage.
- A successful tackle of the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage.
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One of the square bases anchored at first base, second base, or third base.
He twisted his ankle sliding into the sack at second.
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(informal) Dismissal from employment, or discharge from a position.
A climate researcher has been threatened with the sack by his employer after refusing to fly back to Germany at short notice after finishing fieldwork on Bougainville in the Solomon Islands archipelago.
2023 October 4, Damien Gayle, Ajit Niranjan, “Climate scientist faces sack for refusing to fly to Germany from Solomon Islands archipelago”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:The boss is gonna give her the sack today.
He got the sack for being late all the time.
get the sack
give (someone) the sack
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(US, colloquial, figuratively, literally) Bed.
in the sack
hit the sack
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(dated) A kind of loose-fitting gown or dress with sleeves which hangs from the shoulders, such as a gown with a Watteau back or sack-back, fashionable in the late 17th to 18th century; or, formerly, a loose-fitting hip-length jacket, cloak or cape.
Her Dress, too, was of the same cast, a thin muslin short sacque and Coat lined throughout with Pink, – a modesty bit – and something of a very short cloak half concealed about half of her old wrinkled Neck […].
1780, Frances Burney, Journals & Letters, Penguin, published 2001, page 151:This lady's interesting figure, on her wedding-day, was attired in a sacque and petticoat of the most expensive brocaded white silk, resembling net-work, enriched with small flowers […].
1828, JT Smith, Nollekens and His Times, Century Hutchinson, published 1986, page 13:Molly, therefore, having dressed herself out in this sack, with a new laced cap, and some other ornaments which Tom had given her, repairs to church with her fan in her hand the very next Sunday.
1749, Henry Fielding, chapter VII, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book IV:
- (dated) A sack coat; a kind of coat worn by men, and extending from top to bottom without a cross seam.
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(slang, vulgar) The scrotum.
He got passed the ball, but it hit him in the sack.
- Any disposable bag.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| sacks | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
sack of flesh (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · get the sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · go down like a sack of potatoes (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · hackeysack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · dressing sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sackmaker (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sack drill (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · packsack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · tent-sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · dumb as a sack of hammers (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · hit the sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · booksack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · more sacks to the mill (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sackful (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · fart sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sperm sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · towsack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · like rats in a sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · floursack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · supersack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · ball sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sacking (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · nap sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sackmaking (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sack-whack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sack man (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · woolsack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · happy sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · bivouac sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · carisack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · mailsack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · minisack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sackload (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sack-back (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · in the sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · dicksack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sack silo (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · halter-sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · Santa sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sack of shit (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · hackysack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · coalsack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · cornsack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · gunny sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · hacky sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · barley sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sack barrow (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · shitsack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sack truck (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · give the sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · nutsack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sack of crap (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · cocksack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · gripsack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sacklike (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · dumber than a sack of bricks (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · backsack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sick sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · back, crack and sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · possibles sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · dub sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · ballsac (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · unsack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · gunnysack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · cock sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · ballsack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · toe sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · Hacky-Sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sackwise (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · crapsack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · dumb as a sack of bricks (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sack race (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sack dress (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · stuff sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sleepsack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · daysack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · loiter-sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · hopsack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sad sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · feedsack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sack lunch (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · crocker sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sack time (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · bollock sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · ten sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sack knot (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · honey sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sack-tap (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sack o' shit (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · Zdarsky tent-sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · cat in the sack (Terms derived from sack (noun)) · sackcloth (Terms derived from sack (noun))
Descendants
Hyponyms
bindle (bag)
Relateds
haversack · sack up · rucksack · sack off · sac · satchel · sacque · sachet · knapsack
Synonyms
booty (booty obtained by pillage) · rack · poke (bag) · tote (bag) · pink slip · the boot · hay (colloquial: bed) · one's cards · the chop · the old heave-ho · bag (bag) · the axe (informal: dismissal from employment) · the elbow · scrotum (vulgar slang: scrotum)
Translations (256)
nn pose (bag for commodities or items) · ar كِيس (bag for commodities or items) · el λεηλασία (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · ru увольне́ние (informal: dismissal from employment) · ota چوال (bag for commodities or items) · gd màileid (bag for commodities or items) · hu fosztogatás (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · es chácara (bag for commodities or items) · ru мешо́к (bag for commodities or items) · xmf საკი (bag for commodities or items) · ru добы́ча (booty obtained by pillage) · az çuval (bag for commodities or items) · hy պարկ (bag for commodities or items) · ca botí (booty obtained by pillage) · dng бозы (bag for commodities or items) · cmn 洗劫 (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · hu zsák (bag for commodities or items) · ml ചാക്ക് (bag for commodities or items) · fi saalis (booty obtained by pillage) · da sæk (bag for commodities or items) · eo sako (bag for commodities or items) · uk мішо́к (bag for commodities or items) · el κούρσεμα (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · enm sak (amount that can be put in a sack; traditional units based on this amount) · mi pananga (informal: dismissal from employment) · hy քսակ (bag for commodities or items) · oc sac (bag for commodities or items) · fi pussit (slang: scrotum) · ky мешок (bag for commodities or items) · mi taeatanga (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · fi pehkut (colloquial: bed) · bg чува́л (bag for commodities or items) · zza xalte (bag for commodities or items) · cs pytel (bag for commodities or items) · ka ძარცვა (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · ky мүшөк (bag for commodities or items) · pl worek (bag for commodities or items) · gd baga (amount that can be put in a sack; traditional units based on this amount) · km ថង់ (bag for commodities or items) · fi ryöstö (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · ro sac (bag for commodities or items) · da afskedigelse (informal: dismissal from employment) · pt saco (slang: scrotum) · hi बोरी (bag for commodities or items) · uz qop (bag for commodities or items) · da pose (bag for commodities or items) · sl bisaga (bag for commodities or items) · it sacco (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · fa گونی (bag for commodities or items) · no pose (bag for commodities or items) · fur sac (bag for commodities or items) · rom gono (bag for commodities or items) · mt xkora (bag for commodities or items) · da sækfuld (amount that can be put in a sack; traditional units based on this amount) · mi parakete (booty obtained by pillage) · ota تاراج (booty obtained by pillage) · de Sack (successful tackle of the quarterback) · unm mënutès (bag for commodities or items) · pt saque (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · gd màileid (amount that can be put in a sack; traditional units based on this amount) · ka ტომარა (bag for commodities or items) · el σακί (amount that can be put in a sack; traditional units based on this amount) · he אַמְתַּחַת (bag for commodities or items) · bho थैला (bag for commodities or items) · de Sack (slang: scrotum) · non sekkr (bag for commodities or items) · ota چاپول (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · dsb měch (bag for commodities or items) · mi pēke (bag for commodities or items) · mk грабеж (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · nl zak (bag for commodities or items) · bg плячка (booty obtained by pillage) · de Sack (bag for commodities or items) · da bytte (booty obtained by pillage) · nl plunder (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · el σακούλα (bag for commodities or items) · uz xalta (bag for commodities or items) · it saccheggio (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · yi זאַק (bag for commodities or items) · nap sacco (bag for commodities or items) · ht sak (bag for commodities or items) · tew múu (bag for commodities or items) · fa کیسه (bag for commodities or items) · fr lit (colloquial: bed) · mn уут (bag for commodities or items) · id karung (bag for commodities or items) · mk кревет (colloquial: bed) · da udbytte (booty obtained by pillage) · fr butin (booty obtained by pillage) · fr sac (bag for commodities or items) · mnk boto (bag for commodities or items) · ru награ́бленное (booty obtained by pillage) · fi ryöstösaalis (booty obtained by pillage) · ka პარკი (bag for commodities or items) · vi bao tải (bag for commodities or items) · fi säkki (bag for commodities or items) · lo ຖົງ (bag for commodities or items) · nl plundering (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · sq thes (bag for commodities or items) · fr paquet (informal: dismissal from employment) · af sak (bag for commodities or items) · ko 자루 (bag for commodities or items) · hi बोरा (bag for commodities or items) · grc σάκκος (bag for commodities or items) · unm èmsinutay (bag for commodities or items) · es saqueo (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · got 𐌱𐌰𐌻𐌲𐍃 (bag for commodities or items) · ota طوربه (bag for commodities or items) · nv naaltsoos azis (bag for commodities or items) · ba тоҡ (amount that can be put in a sack; traditional units based on this amount) · la culeus (bag for commodities or items) · ga sac (bag for commodities or items) · tr çuval (bag for commodities or items) · grc σάκτας (bag for commodities or items) · bg постеля (colloquial: bed) · de Sack voll (amount that can be put in a sack; traditional units based on this amount) · sc sacu (bag for commodities or items) · hi थैला (bag for commodities or items) · ru посте́ль (colloquial: bed) · mi pana (informal: dismissal from employment) · fi säkillinen (amount that can be put in a sack; traditional units based on this amount) · oj mashkimod (bag for commodities or items) · uk мішо́к (amount that can be put in a sack; traditional units based on this amount) · grc πόρθησις (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · el λάφυρα (booty obtained by pillage) · el σάκκος (bag for commodities or items) · cmn 劫掠 (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · fa ساک (bag for commodities or items) · de Sackvoll (amount that can be put in a sack; traditional units based on this amount) · cmn 袋 (bag for commodities or items) · no sparken (informal: dismissal from employment) · fo sekkur (bag for commodities or items) · tg халта (bag for commodities or items) · ka დათხოვნა (informal: dismissal from employment) · tg ҷувол (bag for commodities or items) · gd poca (amount that can be put in a sack; traditional units based on this amount) · mk вреќа (bag for commodities or items) · de Plünderung (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · gl saco (bag for commodities or items) · et kott (bag for commodities or items) · bn বস্তা (bag for commodities or items) · my အိတ် (bag for commodities or items) · vi bao (bag for commodities or items) · sv plundring (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · fr sac (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · lt maišas (bag for commodities or items) · nl zak (informal: dismissal from employment) · el απόλυση (informal: dismissal from employment) · ms guni (bag for commodities or items) · nl nest (colloquial: bed) · pt despedido (informal: dismissal from employment) · ka ნაძარცვი (booty obtained by pillage) · kk қап (bag for commodities or items) · es bayón (bag for commodities or items) · cmn 包 (bag for commodities or items) · he שַׂק (bag for commodities or items) · mn хүүдий (bag for commodities or items) · ru разграбле́ние (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · ka განთავისუფლება (informal: dismissal from employment) · sk vrece (bag for commodities or items) · ja サック (bag for commodities or items) · it benservito (informal: dismissal from employment) · ho puse (bag for commodities or items) · io sako (bag for commodities or items) · ang codd (bag for commodities or items) · de Papiersack (bag for commodities or items) · pdt Sak (bag for commodities or items) · sh vrȅća (bag for commodities or items) · chr ᏕᎦᎵᏗ (bag for commodities or items) · sv säckfull (amount that can be put in a sack; traditional units based on this amount) · ka ქისა (bag for commodities or items) · bg уволнение (informal: dismissal from employment) · el σακί (bag for commodities or items) · io spoliajo (booty obtained by pillage) · enm sak (bag for commodities or items) · meu puse (bag for commodities or items) · ms karung (bag for commodities or items) · gd poca (bag for commodities or items) · mk арар (bag for commodities or items) · it sacco (bag for commodities or items) · non posi (bag for commodities or items) · egy q:r-f:t-S28 (bag for commodities or items) · pt saca (bag for commodities or items) · it bottino (booty obtained by pillage) · ota تاراج (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · da posefuld (amount that can be put in a sack; traditional units based on this amount) · el τσουβάλι (amount that can be put in a sack; traditional units based on this amount) · be мяшо́к (bag for commodities or items) · fi potkut (informal: dismissal from employment) · is poki (bag for commodities or items) · ru куль (bag for commodities or items) · ru мошо́нка (slang: scrotum) · fr pieu (colloquial: bed) · sh вре̏ћа (bag for commodities or items) · nn sekk (bag for commodities or items) · gl roubo (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · sv säck (bag for commodities or items) · es costal (amount that can be put in a sack; traditional units based on this amount) · gd baga (bag for commodities or items) · ur بورا (bag for commodities or items) · ml ചാക്ക് (amount that can be put in a sack; traditional units based on this amount) · ky кап (bag for commodities or items) · mk пљачка (booty obtained by pillage) · es saco (amount that can be put in a sack; traditional units based on this amount) · ru мудо́ (slang: scrotum) · zza çuwal (bag for commodities or items) · ru грабёж (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · ru мешо́к (amount that can be put in a sack; traditional units based on this amount) · is posi (bag for commodities or items) · de Tüte (bag for commodities or items) · pt saco (bag for commodities or items) · ba тоҡ (bag for commodities or items) · io sakedo (amount that can be put in a sack; traditional units based on this amount) · ota صویغون (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · de Beutel (bag for commodities or items) · la follis (bag for commodities or items) · th ถุง (bag for commodities or items) · ca sac (bag for commodities or items) · fi munat (slang: scrotum) · ja 袋 (bag for commodities or items) · io spolio (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · cmn 囊 (bag for commodities or items) · tk halta (bag for commodities or items) · tk çuwal (bag for commodities or items) · el διαγούμισμα (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · es saco (bag for commodities or items) · es shicra (bag for commodities or items) · grc θύλακος (bag for commodities or items) · rup sac (bag for commodities or items) · no sekk (bag for commodities or items) · is sekkur (bag for commodities or items) · cjs қап (bag for commodities or items) · da fyring (informal: dismissal from employment) · ca saqueig (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · arz كيس (bag for commodities or items) · txb ṣorpor (bag for commodities or items) · hi थैली (bag for commodities or items) · tly کیسه (bag for commodities or items) · el τσουβάλι (bag for commodities or items) · it scroto (slang: scrotum) · got 𐍃𐌰𐌺𐌺𐌿𐍃 (bag for commodities or items) · zdj djunia (bag for commodities or items) · sv sparken (informal: dismissal from employment) · ur بوری (bag for commodities or items) · lv maiss (amount that can be put in a sack; traditional units based on this amount) · mk отказ (informal: dismissal from employment) · sl torba (bag for commodities or items) · es shigra (bag for commodities or items) · es costal (bag for commodities or items) · sw gunia (bag for commodities or items) · cu врѣтище (bag for commodities or items) · mn шуудай (bag for commodities or items) · bn ছালা (bag for commodities or items) · bg разграбване (the plunder and pillaging of a city) · lv maiss (bag for commodities or items) · la saccus (bag for commodities or items)