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hijack

Pronunciation: /ˈhʌɪdʒak/
Translate hijack | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of hijack

verb

[with object]
  • illegally seize (an aircraft, ship, or vehicle) while in transit and force it to go to a different destination or use it for one’s own purposes:a man armed with grenades hijacked the jet yesterday
  • steal (goods) by seizing them in transit: the UN convoys have been tamely allowing gunmen to hijack relief supplies
  • take over (something) and use it for a different purpose:he argues that pressure groups have hijacked the environmental debate

noun

  • an incident or act of hijacking: [as modifier]:an unsuccessful hijack attempt

Derivatives

hijacker

noun

Origin:

1920s (originally US): of unknown origin

Spelling help

Remember that hijack begins with hi-.

hijack in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of hijack in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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