WordGarden.iohawk
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /hˈɔːk/
US
- /ˈhɔk/
Meanings
Noun
a bird of prey with sharp eyesight and talons
a person who favors aggressive or warlike policy
Verb
to sell or offer goods, often by calling out in public
to clear the throat noisily and bring up phlegm
Beyond the definition
A hawk is first a bird of prey, known for sharp eyes and skilled hunting. You might see a red-tailed hawk circling high over a field, waiting and watching before it dives. From that image, the word also came to mean a person who watches very closely or pushes for strong action. A teacher may watch students like a hawk during an exam, and in politics or economics, a hawk often favors forceful or strict decisions.
As a verb, to hawk something means to try to sell it in public, often by calling out to people. A street vendor might hawk newspapers, snacks, or souvenirs to passersby. So the word can name a hunter in the sky, a careful or hard-line person, or an eager seller.
The word "hawk" primarily refers to a group of medium-to-large birds of prey known for sharp talons, excellent eyesight, and strong hunting ability. There are many species, such as red-tailed hawks and Cooper's hawks, and each is suited to a different habitat and style of hunting. People often picture them riding warm air high above open land, scanning the ground for rodents, reptiles, or other small animals.
But the word also has important figurative uses. It can describe someone who watches closely and misses very little, which is why English has the phrase "watch like a hawk." In politics, a hawk is a person who supports military action or other forceful policies more readily than a dove, who prefers peace or restraint. In economics, a hawk is someone who gives priority to fighting inflation, even if that means tighter policy or higher interest rates.
As a verb, "to hawk" means to sell or promote goods in a very direct public way, often by calling out to potential buyers. This sense is common with newspapers, souvenirs, tickets, or food sold on the street. So "hawk" can refer to a hunter in the natural world, a vigilant or hard-line person in public life, or someone actively trying to sell something. These meanings are different, but they are linked by the idea of sharp attention and active pursuit.
Examples
- 1
Wildlife
A hawk circled above the field, looking for mice.
- 2
Farm protection
The farmer put up netting to keep hawks away from the chickens.
- 3
Close watching
The teacher watched the class like a hawk during the test.
- Phraselike a hawk
very closely and carefully
- 4
Street selling
People were hawking umbrellas outside the stadium after the rain started.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Promotion
He went on three talk shows to hawk his new book.
- 6
Foreign policy
Several foreign-policy hawks argued for a military response.
- Domaina hawk
someone who favors strong action, especially in war or politics
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- hawknounverb
Forms
- hawkspluralnounverb
- hawking-ing formverbnoun
- hawkedpast tenseverbnoun