hijack
B2Neutral to formal when describing crime; informal when describing metaphorical takeover.
Definition
Meaning
To illegally take control of a vehicle, especially an aircraft in flight, by force.
To take over something (e.g., a meeting, conversation, system, or event) without permission, diverting it from its original purpose.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a sudden, hostile takeover. In computing, refers to the unauthorized redirection of internet traffic or takeover of a system/session.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling and usage are identical. The term originated in the US in the 1920s (reportedly from 'high' + 'jack' referring to highway robbery).
Connotations
Strong, negative connotations of criminality and violence in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English due to historical and media prominence of related events.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject: person/group] hijack [Object: vehicle/event/system][Subject: person/group] hijack [Object: vehicle] for [Purpose: e.g., political demands][Subject: malware/person] hijack [Object: computer/session]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Don't let him hijack the meeting. (idiomatic use)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used negatively when an employee or external party takes over a project or meeting without authorisation.
Academic
Used in political science or security studies to discuss terrorism and transportation security.
Everyday
Used metaphorically when someone dominates a conversation or social plan.
Technical
In computing and cybersecurity, refers to browser session hijacking, DNS hijacking, or clickjacking.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Terrorists attempted to hijack the aeroplane en route to London.
- He always tries to hijack the discussion with his own issues.
American English
- The hackers hijacked the company's Twitter account.
- Don't let one loud person hijack the town hall meeting.
adjective
British English
- The hijack attempt was foiled by air marshals.
- They reviewed the hijack protocol.
American English
- The hijack alarm was activated silently.
- She specialized in hijack prevention technology.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The bad men tried to hijack the plane.
- Pirates sometimes hijack ships.
- The news reported an attempt to hijack a bus yesterday.
- He hijacked the conversation and started talking about himself.
- Security measures have made it much harder to hijack an aircraft.
- The activist hijacked the press conference to deliver his own message.
- Cybercriminals can hijack a browser session to steal personal data.
- The faction managed to hijack the party's agenda, pushing their radical policies.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'HIghway robber named JACK' forcing a driver out of their car. HI (high) + JACK (name) = HIJACK.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMUNICATION/EVENT IS A VEHICLE (e.g., 'He hijacked the debate' implies he forcefully steered it off course).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'хайджекинг' in formal contexts; use 'угон' for vehicles, 'захват' for events/systems.
- In Russian, 'угон' is specific to vehicles; 'захват' is more general for takeovers, similar to 'hijack'.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'highjack' (archaic/less common).
- Using 'hijack' for peaceful borrowing (it requires force/illegality).
- Confusing with 'carjack' (specifically for cars) or 'skyjack' (specifically for planes).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'hijack' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while its most famous use is for aircraft, it applies to any vehicle (cars, ships, trains) and, metaphorically, to events, conversations, and digital systems.
'Hijack' focuses on seizing control of a vehicle or event, often with people aboard/involved. 'Kidnap' specifically means to abduct and hold a person captive for ransom.
Very rarely and usually in a playful, informal context (e.g., 'Let's hijack the party and make it a surprise for John!'). Its core meaning remains negative.
A cybersecurity attack where a user is tricked into clicking something different from what they perceive, effectively 'hijacking' their click. It's a specialised technical use of the term.
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