sack1 /sak 
/ ▸ noun 1 a large bag made of a strong material such as hessian, 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 dress or 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.
4 (the sack) informal mainly North American English bed, especially as regarded as a place for sex: he stars as a man dumped by his partner for being a bit dull in the sack.
5 Baseball informal a base. 6 American football an act of tackling of a quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. ▸ verb [with object] 1 informal dismiss from employment: any official found to be involved would be sacked on the spot.
2 American football tackle (a quarterback) behind the line of scrimmage before they can throw a pass: Oregon intercepted five of his passes and sacked him five times.
3 rare put into a sack or sacks: a small part of his wheat had been sacked.
– PHRASES hit the sack informal
go to bed. a sack of potatoes informal
used in comparisons to refer to the clumsiness, inertness, or unceremonious treatment of the person or thing in question: he drags me in like a sack of potatoes.
– PHRASAL VERBS sack off British English 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: he's sacked off his girlfriend of four months.
sack out North American English informal go to bed, or go to sleep: he headed home to sack out for a few hours.
– DERIVATIVES sackable /ˈsakəbl / adjective – 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.
English