noun / verb

whack

WAK/wæk/

A sharp, forceful hit.

The carpenter gives the wooden peg a sharp whack with the mallet.

An adult Black carpenter swings a wooden mallet in one sharp forceful strike onto a wooden peg at a workbench.

Etymology

Whack probably arose in imitation of the sound of a sharp, heavy blow. Its use as a verb turns that impact sound into the action of striking forcefully.

In context

HISTORY30:54

I had to whack off a piece of the rock in order to see inside the rock.

How the Rocky Mountains were Made | How the Earth Was Made (S2, E5) | Full Episode | History

More examples

He accidentally whacked his knee on the coffee table.
Two firm whacks knock the dirt from his boots.
Stop whacking the fence with that stick.

Forms

whack · whacks · whacked · whacking

Similar words

blow: A broader noun for a hit, without emphasizing sharpness.
smack: Often suggests an open-handed hit with a sharp sound.
strike: A more neutral verb that does not necessarily imply force.