hacking
In a digital context, the term carries a dual nature. It often evokes a sense of criminality or intrusion when referring to unauthorized access, but it also describes a spirit of ingenuity and technical curiosity when referring to the modification of software for improvement or experimentation.
When used in a medical or physical sense, the word shifts toward a feeling of harshness and irritation. A hacking cough is characterized by its abrupt, jarring sound and lack of productivity, while the physical act of hacking through brush implies crude, forceful labor rather than precise cutting.
Meanings
The act of gaining unauthorized access to data in a system or computer.
The company suffered a massive data breach due to sophisticated hacking.
The activity of modifying a computer program or system to make it behave in a way that was not originally intended.
The developer spent the weekend hacking the software to add new features.
A violent, dry, and persistent cough.
He had a hacking cough that kept him awake all night.