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⇱ hawk - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

hawk

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈhɔːk/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/hɔk/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(hôk)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
hawk1 /hɔk/USA pronunciation   n. [countable]
  1. Birdsa bird that catches animals for food, having a short, hooked beak, broad wings, and curved claws.
  2. Governmenta person who calls for aggressive action in settling disputes.
hawk•ish, adj. 

hawk2 /hɔk/USA pronunciation   v. [~ + object]
  1. to offer for sale, esp. by calling out loud in public;
    peddle:hawking souvenirs to tourists.
hawk•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
hawk1  (hôk),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Birdsany of numerous birds of prey of the family Accipitridae, having a short, hooked beak, broad wings, and curved talons, often seen circling or swooping at low altitudes.
  2. Birdsany of several similar, unrelated birds, as the nighthawk.
  3. Informal Termsa person who preys on others, as a sharper.
  4. Informal Terms, GovernmentAlso called war hawk. a person, esp. one in public office, who advocates war or a belligerent national attitude. Cf. dove (def. 5).
  5. any person who pursues an aggressive policy in business, government, etc.:The corporation is now run by a bunch of young hawks.

v.i. 
  1. Zoologyto fly, or hunt on the wing, like a hawk.
  2. to hunt with hawks.
  • bef. 900; Middle English hauk(e), Old English hafoc; cognate with Old Frisian havek, Old Saxon habuc Old High German habuh, Old Norse haukr hawk, perh. Polish kobuz kind of falcon
hawk′like′, adj. 

hawk2  (hôk),USA pronunciation v.t. 
  1. to peddle or offer for sale by calling aloud in public.
  2. to advertise or offer for sale:to hawk soap on television.
  3. to spread (rumors, news, etc.).

v.i. 
  1. to carry wares about for sale;
    peddle.
  • back formation from hawker2 1470–80

hawk3  (hôk),USA pronunciation v.i. 
  1. to make an effort to raise phlegm from the throat;
    clear the throat noisily.

v.t. 
  1. to raise by hawking:to hawk phlegm up.

n. 
  1. a noisy effort to clear the throat.
  • 1575–85; imitative; see haw1

hawk4  (hôk),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Buildinga small, square board with a handle underneath it, used by plasterers and masons to hold plaster or mortar being applied.
  • 1350–1400; Middle English; perh. variant of hache battle-ax (see hatchet)

Hawk  (hôk),USA pronunciation n. [Mil.]
  1. Militarya medium-range, mobile U.S. surface-to-air missile system.
  • H(oming) A(ll the) west, western(ay) K(iller)

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
hawk /hɔːk/ n
  1. any of various diurnal birds of prey of the family Accipitridae, such as the goshawk and Cooper's hawk, typically having short rounded wings and a long tail
  2. a person who advocates or supports war or warlike policies
    Compare dove1
  3. a ruthless or rapacious person
 vb
  1. (intransitive) to hunt with falcons, hawks, etc
  2. (intransitive) (of falcons or hawks) to fly in quest of prey
  3. to pursue or attack on the wing, as a hawk
Etymology: Old English hafoc; related to Old Norse haukr, Old Frisian havek, Old High German habuh, Polish kobuz; sense 5 from Shakespeare (Hamlet II:2:375), where handsaw is probably a corruption of dialect heronshaw heronˈhawkˌlike adj
hawk /hɔːk/ vb
  1. to offer (goods) for sale, as in the street
  2. (transitive) often followed by about: to spread (news, gossip, etc)
Etymology: 16th Century: back formation from hawker1
hawk /hɔːk/ vb
  1. (intransitive) to clear the throat noisily
  2. (transitive) to force (phlegm) up from the throat
  3. Brit
    a slang word for spit1
Etymology: 16th Century: of imitative origin; see haw2
hawk /hɔːk/ n
  1. a small square board with a handle underneath, used for carrying wet plaster or mortarAlso called: mortar board
Etymology: of unknown origin
'hawk' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: am watching you like a hawk, the [boss, teacher] is always watching me like a hawk, I can't. My [boss] is watching me like a hawk, more...

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