hijack
/ˈhaɪ.d͡ʒæk/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.11 in modern English
22
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To forcibly seize control of some vehicle in order to rob it or to reach a destination (especially an airplane, truck or a boat).
verb
To seize control of some process or resource to achieve a purpose other than its originally intended one.
verb
To introduce an amendment deleting the contents of a bill and inserting entirely new provisions.
noun
An instance of a seizure and redirection of a process.
Example Sentences
- "hijack the radio show"
- "Once the polyfill kicks in, it hijacks the user's input cursor and places it into a different field, a problem that does not exist in the native implementation of autofocus."
- "I opened my closet door and stared. Should I pack my good suit and black loafers? Uh-uh. Travel light. Think positive. Go there, get done whatever there was to do, and get back. I loved Lolly, but I couldn't let her stroke hijack my life. How many guys would do this much for their aunt?"
- "One lone "high-jack" held up 11 harvest hands in a freight car [...] last night, making a clean getaway with slightly over $180."
Etymology
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈhaɪ.d͡ʒæk/
- British English: /ˈhaɪ.d͡ʒæk/