Highjacked: meaning, definitions and examples
✈️
highjacked
[ haɪˈdʒækt ]
theft, prevention
To hijack means to unlawfully seize control of a vehicle, aircraft, or other means of transportation, often by force or threat. This act can also extend to taking control over a computer or network for malicious purposes.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The plane was hijacked mid-flight.
- They tried to hijack the bus at gunpoint.
- Experts warn about the risk of data being hijacked.
- The car was hijacked in broad daylight.
Translations
Translations of the word "highjacked" in other languages:
🇵🇹 sequestrado
🇮🇳 हाइजैक्ड
🇩🇪 entführt
🇮🇩 dijadikan sandera
🇺🇦 викрадений
🇵🇱 porwany
🇯🇵 ハイジャックされた
🇫🇷 détourné
🇪🇸 secuestrado
🇹🇷 kaçırılmış
🇰🇷 납치된
🇸🇦 مختطف
🇨🇿 unesený
🇸🇰 unesený
🇨🇳 被劫持
🇸🇮 ugrabljen
🇮🇸 rændur
🇰🇿 ұрланған
🇬🇪 გატაცებული
🇦🇿 qaçırılmış
🇲🇽 secuestrado
Etymology
The term 'hijack' is believed to have originated in the 1920s, possibly as a blending of various slang expressions. Some etymologists suggest it derived from 'hijack' used in the context of stealing goods or freight. Initially, it referred more broadly to stealing items, particularly in the context of bootlegging or illegal liquor trade during Prohibition in the United States. The word evolved to specifically denote the act of taking control of a vehicle, and it gained significant prevalence during the late 20th century as airplane hijackings became more common. Its use has now broadened further, encompassing a variety of unlawful takeovers, including piracy in cyberspace, illustrating the flexibility of language as societal issues evolve.