out of whack









out of whack


verb (used with object)

  1. to strike with a smart, resounding blow or blows.
  2. Slang. to divide into or take in shares (often followed by up): Whack the loot between us two.

verb (used without object)

  1. to strike a smart, resounding blow or blows.

noun

  1. a smart, resounding blow: a whack with his hand.
  2. Informal. a trial or attempt: to take a whack at a job.
  3. Slang. a portion or share.

Verb Phrases

  1. whack off,
    1. to cut off or separate with a blow: The cook whacked off the fish’s head.
    2. Slang: Vulgar.to masturbate.
  2. whack out, Slang. to produce quickly or, sometimes, carelessly: She whacks out a short story every week or so.

Idioms

  1. out of whack, Informal. out of order or alignment; not in proper condition.

verb (tr)

  1. to strike with a sharp resounding blow
  2. (usually passive) British informal to exhaust completely
  3. (tr; usu foll by in or on) informal to put something on to or into something else with force or abandonwhack on some sunscreen

noun

  1. (tr) US slang to murderif you were out of line you got whacked
  2. a sharp resounding blow or the noise made by such a blow
  3. informal a share or portion
  4. informal a try or attempt (esp in the phrase have a whack at)
  5. out of whack informal out of order; unbalancedthe whole system is out of whack

interjection

  1. an exclamation imitating the noise of a sharp resounding blow

v.“to strike sharply,” 1719, probably of imitative origin. The noun is from 1737. The word in out of whack (1885) is perhaps the slang meaning “share, just portion” (1785), which may be from the notion of the blow that divides, or the rap of the auctioneer’s hammer. see under out of kilter. In addition to the idioms beginning with whack

  • whacked out
  • whack off
  • also see:

  • have a crack (whack) at
  • out of kilter (whack)
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