▸ noun
1 a large bag made of a strong material such as burlap, thick paper, or plastic, used for storing and carrying goods.
▪ the contents of a sack or the amount it can contain:
a sack of flour.
2 (also sack dress) a woman's short loose unwaisted dress, typically narrowing at the hem, popular especially in the 1950s.
▪ historical a woman's long loose gown.
▪ a decorative piece of dress material fastened to the shoulders of a woman's gown in loose pleats and forming a long train, fashionable in the 18th century.
3 (the sack) informal dismissal from employment:
he got the sack for swearing
they were given the sack.
6 American Football an act of tackling a quarterback behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a pass.
▸ verb [with object]
– PHRASAL VERBS
sack off British informal (sack something off, sack off something)
avoid or stop doing something:
go to bed, or go to sleep:
sack off British informal (sack something off, sack off something)
avoid or stop doing something:
the duo sacked off their corporate jobs to be full-time brewers.
▪ (sack someone off, sack off someone)
abandon or get rid of someone:
sack out North American informal abandon or get rid of someone:
he's sacked off his girlfriend of four months.
go to bed, or go to sleep:
he headed home to sack out for a few hours.
– ORIGIN Old English sacc, from Latin saccus ‘sack, sackcloth’, from Greek sakkos, of Semitic origin. Sense 1 of the verb dates from the mid 19th century.