noun
Hackney
hak-nee
noun
1
A carriage, cab, or vehicle available for public hire.
"They hailed a hackney to take them across town."
adjective
1
Made dull or unoriginal through overuse; hackneyed.
"The speech was full of hackney phrases about "thinking outside the box.""
How to Use Hackney
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA vehicle for hire, or (as an adjective) worn out through overuse.
Common mistake
The everyday adjective form is usually spelled "hackneyed," not "hackney."
Easily confused with
hackneyed
Word Forms
hackneyed past tense, hackneys plural, hackneys singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “Hackney”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
They hailed a _____ to take them across town.
Etymology
From the London borough of Hackney, once known for pastures where horses were kept for hire.