Hack"ney (-n&ybreve;), n.; pl.
Hackneys (-n&ibreve;z). [OE. hakeney,
hakenay; cf. F. haquenée a pacing horse, an
ambling nag, OF. also haguenée, Sp. hacanea,
OSp. facanea, D. hakkenei, also OF. haque
horse, Sp. haca, OSp. faca; perh. akin to E.
hack to cut, and nag, and orig. meaning, a jolting
horse. Cf. Hack a horse, Nag.] 1.
A horse for riding or driving; a nag; a pony.
Chaucer.
2. A horse or pony kept for hire.
3. A carriage kept for hire; a hack; a
hackney coach.
4. A hired drudge; a hireling; a
prostitute.
Hack"ney, a. Let out for hire;
devoted to common use; hence, much used; trite; mean; as,
hackney coaches; hackney authors. "Hackney
tongue." Roscommon.
Hack"ney, v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Hackneyed (-n&ibreve;d); p. pr. & vb.
n. Hackneying.] 1. To devote to
common or frequent use, as a horse or carriage; to wear out in common
service; to make trite or commonplace; as, a hackneyed
metaphor or quotation.
Had I so lavish of my presence been,
So common-hackneyed in the eyes of men.
Shak.
2. To carry in a hackney coach.
Cowper.
