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whacker

whacker

6 8.3
A tool you use to hit or cut plants such as grass
  • noun
  • /ˈhwækər/
  • US
translation icon : desmalezadora
  • Somebody should get in there with a weed whacker, clean that mess up.
  • weed whacker

When it comes to your lawn equipment, whether it's your lawn mower, leaf blower, weed whacker, chainsaw, doesn't matter.

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Examples

  • He used the whacker to trim the overgrown bushes in the garden.

  • Hey, does anyone have a weed whacker?

  • John collected his garbage bag and weed whacker and walked down the hill to the small parking lot.

    Blog text (12)
  • You're gonna need somebody to go in there with a weed whacker.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • I'd rather not have to fire up the 2-stroke weed whacker or apply lots of Roundup in that area going forward.

    Blog text (22)
  • In the absence of herbicides, farmers have to manage weeds by hand (machete or weed whacker) and plant ground cover that will prevent weeds from appearing in the first place.

    Blog text (11)
  • The whacker made quick work of the tall grass around the fence.

  • In the summer, I always keep my whacker ready for backyard maintenance.

Synonyms

cutter
vswhacker
67 2.5

A tool used to cut materials like glass or dough

emphasizes tools used for plant hitting, striking, or specialized cutting
machete
vswhacker
63 5.7

A large strong knife with a wide blade that people use to cut plants or as a weapon

is broader, covering many implements for hitting, striking, or cutting plants
saw
vswhacker
54 1.0

A tool with a thin toothed blade used to cut wood or other materials

focuses on plant cutting or hitting, not mainly hard material cutting
clipper
vswhacker
40 2.8

A small tool with blades used to cut hair or nails

is broader, including heavier striking or cutting tools beyond neat trimming
sledgehammer
vswhacker
35 3.9

A large heavy tool with a long handle used to break stone or drive stakes

is mainly about cutting or smaller-scale striking of vegetation, not demolition
hacksaw
vswhacker
14 4.0

A small hand tool with a thin blade and small teeth in a frame for cutting metal

is about plant cutting or striking rather than fine metal cutting
ripper
vswhacker
7 5.7

A person or tool that tears things away forcefully

is about controlled cutting or striking plants, not only forceful tearing
weed-whacker
vswhacker
  • US
4 3.0

A powered tool that cuts weeds and grass around edges

is broader and covers any hitting, striking, or cutting tool for plants
hack
vswhacker
  • UK
1 7.2

A tool with a heavy blade for breaking soil

focuses on cutting or striking plants, not only breaking soil or digging
lopper
vswhacker
1 6.2

A long-handled tool with a sharp blade for cutting small tree branches

focuses on many tools for cutting or hitting vegetation, not only pruning
snipper
vswhacker
  • UK
1 4.3

A person or tool that cuts threads and trims small plants

operates at larger scale or with heavier impact on vegetation
shears
vswhacker
1 3.0

Large strong scissors for cutting thick things like hedges or cloth

is broader, covering hitting or cutting tools beyond scissor-like options
scuffle hoe
vswhacker
  • Specialized
8.8

A garden tool with a flat blade you push to cut weeds and loosen soil

is more specific, focusing on forward push cutting rather than striking
scuffle
vswhacker
  • Specialized
9.5

A hoe pushed to loosen weeds between rows

is the same action but the key covers many hitting or cutting methods
scuffler
vswhacker
  • Specialized
8.5

A tool or machine that loosens soil and removes weeds

is more general and includes handheld hitting or cutting tools too
weeder
vswhacker
3.0

A small tool for pulling weeds from a garden or lawn

is broader, applying to many tools for hitting, cutting, or striking plants
hack saw
vswhacker
3.6

A hand saw with a thin blade and many small teeth for cutting metal and other hard materials

applies to tools for hitting or cutting plants, not specialized metal cutting

Compounds

4 3.0

A powered tool that cuts weeds and grass around edges

How Powerful

chainsaw
75 3.5
whacker
  • US
6 8.3
lopper
1 6.2
hand tool
5 1.8

Surface Forms

whacker singular
whackers plural

Morphology

whacker = whack (transparent) = whack + er

Standard agent/instrument nominalization: an object used to 'whack' (hit/strike) is directly derived from the verb 'whack' plus '-er'.

Etymology

The word whacker comes from whack 'to hit' plus the ending -er, which makes a noun for 'a thing that does' the action. So a whacker is a tool that 'whacks' plants or branches, a thing you use for hitting or cutting vegetation.