Sack

n. [ OE. seck, F. sec dry (cf. Sp. seco, It. secco), from L. siccus dry, harsh; perhaps akin to Gr. 'ischno`s, Skr. sikata sand, Ir. sesc dry, W. hysp. Cf. Desiccate. ] A name formerly given to various dry Spanish wines. “Sherris sack.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sack posset, a posset made of sack, and some other ingredients. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To put in a sack; to bag; as, to sack corn. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bolsters sacked in cloth, blue and crimson. L. Wallace. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To bear or carry in a sack upon the back or the shoulders. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. sac plunder, pillage, originally, a pack, packet, booty packed up, fr. L. saccus. See Sack a bag. ] The pillage or plunder, as of a town or city; the storm and plunder of a town; devastation; ravage. [ 1913 Webster ]

The town was stormed, and delivered up to sack, -- by which phrase is to be understood the perpetration of all those outrages which the ruthless code of war allowed, in that age, on the persons and property of the defenseless inhabitants, without regard to sex or age. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sacked p. pr. & vb. n. Sacking. ] [ See Sack pillage. ] To plunder or pillage, as a town or city; to devastate; to ravage. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Romans lay under the apprehensions of seeing their city sacked by a barbarous enemy. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of taking by storm and pillaging; sack. [ R. ] H. Roscoe. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. saquebute, OF. saqueboute a sackbut, earlier, a sort of hook attached to the end of a lance used by foot soldiers to unhorse cavalrymen; prop. meaning, pull and push; fr. saquier, sachier, to pull, draw (perhaps originally, to put into a bag or take out from a bag; see Sack a bag) + bouter to push (see Butt to thrust). The name was given to the musical instrument from its being lengthened and shortened. ] (Mus.) A brass wind instrument, like a bass trumpet, so contrived that it can be lengthened or shortened according to the tone required; -- said to be the same as the trombone. [ Written also sagbut. ] Moore (Encyc. of Music). [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The sackbut of the Scriptures is supposed to have been a stringed instrument. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Linen or cotton cloth such as sacks are made of; coarse cloth; anciently, a cloth or garment worn in mourning, distress, mortification, or penitence. [ 1913 Webster ]

Gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. 2 Sam. iii. 31. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thus with sackcloth I invest my woe. Sandys. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Clothed in sackcloth. [ 1913 Webster ]