hacky sack

See also: hackysack and Hacky-Sack

English

Alternative forms

• hackysack, hackeysack, hacky-sack, Hacky-Sack

Etymology

A trademark of Wham-O. First use appears c. 1977. It uses a reduplication of the word sack with the word hacky; a hack, in the game's terminology, is akin to a point, and happens when every player in a group successfully passes the footbag.

Noun

hacky sack (countable and uncountable, plural hacky sacks)

1. (uncountable, games) A game or activity in which one or a group of players try to keep a footbag off the ground using only their feet.
2. (countable) The footbag used for such a game.
   • 2008, Wally Lamb, The Hour I First Believed, Ch.3, at p.74:

     At the food court, I bought a turkey sandwich and another coffee. As I ate, an entourage caught my eye: four Buddhist monks, camped at the periphery of the food court seats, about thirty feet away. Shaved heads, maroon and pumpkin-colored robes. Each was smiling, even the one who slept. You'd think monks would be wearing sandals, wouldn't you? But these guys were wearing what I wear: Nike sneakers, Timberland boots. Two were horsing around with a Hacky Sack. Another was chatting quietly with a black woman in a Chicago Bulls sweatshirt.

Further reading

• hacky sack on Wikipedia.Wikipedia