sack

1. noun /sæk/

a) A bag; especially a large bag of strong, coarse material for storage and handling of various commodities, such as potatoes, coal, coffee; or, a bag with handles used at a supermarket, a grocery sack; or, a small bag for small items, a satchel.

Seven pounds make a clove, 2 cloves a stone, 2 stone a tod, 6 1/2 tods a wey, 2 weys a sack, 12 sacks a last. [...] It is to be observed here that a sack is 13 tods, and a tod 28 pounds, so that the sack is 364 pounds.

b) The amount a sack holds; also, an archaic or historical measure of varying capacity, depending on commodity type and according to local usage; an old English measure of weight, usually of wool, equal to 13 stone (182 pounds), or in other sources, 26 stone (364 pounds).

Generally, however, the stone or petra, almost always of 14 lbs., is used, the tod of 28 lbs., and the sack of thirteen stone.

Syn: bag, tote, poke, the axe, pink slip, the boot, the chop, the elbow, the old heave-ho, hay, rack, ballsack, ball sack, nutsack

See Also: sac, sachet, satchel, haversack, knapsack, rucksack

2. verb /sæk/

a) To put in a sack or sacks.

Help me sack the groceries.

b) To plunder or pillage, especially after capture; to obtain spoils of war from.

The gold was sacked in moose-hide bags, fifty pounds to the bag

Syn: loot, ransack, can, dismiss, fire, lay off, let go, terminate, redundant, axe, give the boot, give the chop, give the elbow, give the old heave-ho, rack