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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

3 entries under this word

Hackney

Hăck'ney, n.

noun

n.; pl. HĂCK'NEYS. [Fr. haquenée, a pacing horse, an ambling nag, Sp. hacanea, nag, O. Sp. facanea, Pg. hacanea, acanea, It. acchinea, chinea, D. hakkenei. Cf. HACK.]

  1. A horse suitable for riding or driving; a pad; a nag; a pony. Chaucer.
  2. A horse or pony kept for hire; hence, a horse and carriage kept for hire; a hack.
  3. A person worn by hired drudgery; a person ready to be hired for any drudgery or dirty work; a hireling; a prostitute.

Hăck'ney, a.

adjective

a. 1. Let out for hire; devoted to common use; as, a hackney-coach. “Hackney horses.” Hacklayt.

  1. Prostitute; vicious for hire. Roscommon.
  2. Much used; common; trite; as, a hackney author or remark..

Hăck'ney, v. t.

verbtransitive

[imp. & p. p. HACKNEYED; p. pr. & vb. n. HACKNEYING.] 1. To devote to common or frequent use, as a horse or coach; 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. Shak. 2. To carry in a hackney-coach. Couper.