1. To cut or to chop something by hitting it with short repeated blows using a sharp tool; such as, a knife or an ax: Janine is going out to the garden to hack away at the weeds this afternoon.
2. To cut a path or way through an obstruction; such as, business regulations, undergrowth, or brush: Vincent had to hack his way through some bureaucratic obstacles in order to finally get the project completed.
3. To cut, to shape, or to divide something roughly or carelessly: The editor hacked a big chunk off that article that the reporter wrote for the newspaper.
4. To use a computer or other technological device or system in order to gain unauthorized access to data held by another person or an organization: Earl decided to hack into the accounts of the company so he could illegally transfer funds into an overseas bank.
5. To cough persistently in short dry bursts with a rasping noise: Dina had been hacking so much during the day that she decided to stay home instead of going to the concert and disturbing so many people with her coughing.
6. In sports, to commit a foul by kicking or striking another player on a body part; such as, a leg or an arm: The referee blew the whistle on the player who had hacked a player from the opposing team.