sack
sack — noun
- sacksingular
- sacksplural
1. A very big container made of strong material such as thick fabric or heavy paper
A very big container made of strong material such as thick fabric or heavy paper, used for storing and moving large amounts of dry goods including grain, rice, flour, or cement.
The farmer stored the potatoes in a large brown sack in the barn.
The kitchen had a sack of rice that weighed fifty kilograms.
sack of [dry goods] — the thing inside a sack
Two workers carried a heavy sack of cement across the building site.
Ada opened a new sack of flour to start baking bread for the week.
The old sack was torn at the seam, so dried beans spilled across the floor.
- sack of potatoes
- sack of rice
- sack of flour
- sack of cement
- large sack
- heavy sack
- torn sack
- brown sack
- bag
more general; a sack is typically larger and stronger than a regular bag
- burlap sack
specifically a sack made from rough brown cloth, common for farm use
Usage Note
Often used with 'of' to state what is inside: a sack of potatoes, a sack of flour.
2. A paper or thin plastic bag that a shop gives you to carry the things you have b
A paper or thin plastic bag that a shop gives you to carry the things you have bought, usually for a short time.
The shop assistant put my vegetables into a brown paper sack.
brown paper sack / plastic sack
Could you put these bottles in a plastic sack and tie the handles together?
Kenji always reused old grocery sacks to carry his lunch to work.
The cashier asked if we preferred paper or plastic sacks at the checkout.
Aoi folded the paper sack flat and tucked it under her arm.
- paper sack
- plastic sack
- grocery sack
- brown sack
- pack a sack
- fill a sack
- bag
more general term; 'sack' in this sense is the same as a shopping bag
- carrier bag
the common British term for a shopping bag
Usage Note
Common in American English for a shopping bag. In British English, 'carrier bag' or 'bag' is more frequent for this sense.
3. The act of being told to leave your job, usually because your employer thinks yo
The act of being told to leave your job, usually because your employer thinks you did something wrong or needs to spend less money.
After the mistake lost the company a big client, three workers got the sack.
get the sack — idiomatic
The manager gave Dario the sack for arriving late too many times.
give [someone] the sack
Faisal was worried about getting the sack after his project missed every deadline.
The factory announced that fifty employees would face the sack next month.
face the sack — also idiomatic
- get the sack
- give someone the sack
- face the sack
- the sack from
Usage Note
This sense almost always appears in the fixed expressions 'get the sack' (be fired), 'give someone the sack' (fire someone), or 'face the sack' (be at risk of being fired).
Common Mistakes
4. A violent attack on a town or city by soldiers or an invading group, during whic
A violent attack on a town or city by soldiers or an invading group, during which buildings are ruined and whatever is worth taking is carried off.
The soldiers began the sack of the city, breaking into every house along the main road.
the sack of [place]
Old records describe the sack of the temple and the theft of its gold statues.
The town never fully recovered after the sack by the invading army in 1654.
The museum displays paintings that survived the sack of the royal palace.
- the sack of Rome
- the sack of the city
- survive the sack
- sack by the army
- looting
focuses on the stealing aspect; 'sack' includes destruction too
- plundering
very similar in meaning, also refers to stealing during wartime
Usage Note
Historically associated with wartime. Often used in the pattern 'the sack of [place]'.
5. A play in the sport of American football in which a defender catches and stops t
A play in the sport of American football in which a defender catches and stops the quarterback, keeping him from making a throw.
The quarterback avoided a sack by throwing the ball just before he was hit.
The crowd cheered loudly after the defensive player made a big sack on third down.
make a sack — the usual collocation
The team's best defender recorded three sacks during yesterday's game.
record a sack — stats language
A strong offensive line helps protect the quarterback from taking a sack.
- make a sack
- record a sack
- take a sack
- avoid a sack
- big sack
Usage Note
Specific to American football. A sack is different from a regular tackle because it happens behind the line of scrimmage before the quarterback can pass.
6. An informal word for a bed, used particularly in the expression 'hit the sack' m
An informal word for a bed, used particularly in the expression 'hit the sack' meaning to go to sleep for the night.
After working the night shift, Harper just wanted to hit the sack before noon.
hit the sack — go to bed
The children were told to get into the sack and stop talking.
It was past midnight and Asher was tired, so he decided to hit the sack.
Lukas was exhausted after the long hike and could not wait to hit the sack.
Maja turned off the television and told her roommate she was hitting the sack.
- hit the sack
- get into the sack
Usage Note
Rarely used alone; almost always appears in 'hit the sack' or 'in the sack' (see sense 7).
7. A very casual way of saying how skilled a person is at sex, always used in expre
A very casual way of saying how skilled a person is at sex, always used in expressions such as 'good in the sack' or 'bad in the sack'.
Rania laughed at the old song lyric about being good in the sack.
The gossip magazine claimed the actor was supposed to be amazing in the sack.
good/bad/amazing in the sack — fixed phrase for sexual skill
The comedy movie had several jokes about characters who were bad in the sack.
In the novel, the hero brags to his friends about being great in the sack.
- good in the sack
- bad in the sack
Usage Note
Crude slang. Only found in the expression '[adjective] in the sack'. Not used in polite or formal conversation.
8. A woman's dress or short coat that hangs loosely from the shoulders, with no fit
A woman's dress or short coat that hangs loosely from the shoulders, with no fitted waist and a straight, relaxed shape.
The fashion show featured a new collection of silk sack dresses in pale colors.
sack dress / sack coat — fashion terms
Iker wore a loose brown sack coat over her jeans on the cold morning.
The simple sack dress became a popular style in the nineteen-fifties.
Nia bought a cream-colored linen sack dress at the vintage clothing shop.
- sack dress
- sack coat
- linen sack dress
- silk sack dress
- shift dress
a similar loose dress that hangs straight from the shoulders
- tunic
a loose top or dress that reaches to the hips or knees
Usage Note
Mostly used in fashion history or vintage clothing contexts. A sack dress does not define the waistline.
hit the sack
idiomTo go to bed or go to sleep for the night.
After the long flight, all Andrew wanted to do was hit the sack.
It was only nine o'clock but the children were already hitting the sack.
To be dismissed from a job, or to dismiss someone from a job.
The chef got the sack after the kitchen failed its health inspection.
The newspaper gave three editors the sack when sales dropped sharply.
sack — verb
- sackpresent simple I / you / we / they
- sackshe / she / it
- sackedpast simple
- sacking-ing form
1. To force someone to leave their paid position, typically following poor work, ru
To force someone to leave their paid position, typically following poor work, rule-breaking, or as a cost-cutting measure.
The company sacked fifteen employees after the project lost too much money.
sack + object (person fired)
The boss threatened to sack anyone who was caught stealing from the supply room.
After the argument with the supervisor, Lukas was sacked from the restaurant.
passive: be sacked from [place]
The football club sacked the coach after five losses in a row.
- sack an employee
- sack someone from
- sacked for stealing
- sacked from work
- threatened to sack
- hire
to give someone a job
Grammar Patterns
sack + person
be sacked from + place
be sacked for + reason
Usage Note
More common in British English than American English, where 'fire' is preferred. Can be used actively (The manager sacked him) or passively (He was sacked).
Common Mistakes
2. In the sport of American football, to catch and halt the player who holds the ba
In the sport of American football, to catch and halt the player who holds the ball (the quarterback) before he can release a forward pass, ending the play.
The linebacker sacked the quarterback twice in the first quarter of the game.
sack + the quarterback
The young defensive end was praised for sacking the passer in the final minute.
If the defense can sack the quarterback early, the other team will struggle to score.
The defensive line practiced new moves to learn how to sack the quarterback more often.
- sack the quarterback
- sack the passer
- sacked twice
- sacked for a loss
Grammar Patterns
sack + the quarterback / the passer
Usage Note
A football term only. The same action is called a 'tackle' for other players but a 'sack' specifically for the quarterback.
3. To attack a town or city with violence, ruining buildings and stealing everythin
To attack a town or city with violence, ruining buildings and stealing everything valuable, especially in past wars.
The Viking army sacked the coastal village and took all the gold and silver.
Invading forces sacked the capital city and destroyed its most important buildings.
sack + [city/town/village]
The museum's treasures were lost when the castle was sacked during the war.
passive: be sacked
Harper read a book about how the ancient port city was sacked and then rebuilt.
- sack a city
- sack a town
- sack a village
- sacked by invaders
- sacked and burned
Grammar Patterns
sack + place
be sacked by + attacking force
Usage Note
Historically, the 'sack' of a city involved destruction, theft, and often violence against civilians. Today used mainly in history books and historical fiction.
4. To put loose things such as grain, fruits, or vegetables into a sack or bag for
To put loose things such as grain, fruits, or vegetables into a sack or bag for storage, transport, or sale.
The farm workers sacked the fresh apples before sending them to the market.
After the harvest, the wheat was sacked and loaded onto a waiting truck.
passive: grain is sacked
The workers sacked the potatoes and tied each bag shut with a piece of string.
The coffee beans were sacked at the farm before being shipped abroad.
- sack the grain
- sack the potatoes
- sack the apples
- sacked and shipped
- empty
to take things out of a container
Grammar Patterns
sack + goods
Usage Note
Less common now because modern farming uses automated packing machines. Most often used for small-scale or traditional farming.
sack it off
phrasal verbTo decide not to do something that you were supposed to do.
Maya sacked it off and went to the beach instead.
Are you going to sack it off and stay home?
sack off
phrasal verbTo stop doing something or to leave a place or activity early.
Diego sacked off work early to watch the game.
We sacked off the meeting and went for coffee.
sack out
phrasal verbTo go to sleep, especially after being very tired.
After the long hike, Sara sacked out on the sofa.
Brian sacked out as soon as he got home.
Word family
- sackingnounC1
- sackableadjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
All four of these words describe the end of someone's employment, but they differ in formality, reason, and regional preference. 'Sack' and 'fire' are both informal, but 'sack' is more common in British English ('They sacked him for stealing'), while 'fire' is the usual word in American English ('They fired him for stealing'). 'Dismiss' is the formal, official term used in contracts and HR documents ('The board voted to dismiss the director'). 'Lay off' is different in meaning — it happens when there is not enough work or money, not because of poor performance ('The factory laid off 200 workers after sales dropped'). 'Let go' is a softer, euphemistic way of saying the same thing ('We had to let him go') and is often used to avoid the harshness of 'sack' or 'fire'. If you say someone was 'laid off,' you imply it was not their fault; if you say they were 'sacked,' you imply they did something wrong.
Common collocations
Phrases
- get the sack
- give someone the sack
- hit the sack
Prepositions
- into a sack
- out of a sack
- from the sack
- in a sack
Etymology
The word 'sack' has two separate origins that merged in English. The 'bag' meaning (noun senses 1 and 2, plus verb sense 4) comes from Old English 'sacc', meaning a bag made of coarse cloth, which came from Latin 'saccus', borrowed from Greek 'sakkos', and ultimately from a Phoenician or Hebrew source (Hebrew 'śaq' — sackcloth). The 'dismiss from a job' meaning (noun sense 3 and verb sense 1) came later: in the 1800s, workers who were fired were given their bag to pack their belongings and leave — so they 'got the sack.' The 'plunder' meaning (noun sense 4 and verb sense 3) came from a different route: French 'mettre à sac' (to put to sack), referring to putting loot into a bag during wartime.