a. Let out for hire; devoted to common use; hence, much used; trite; mean; as, hackney coaches; hackney authors. “Hackney tongue.” Roscommon.

[ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Hackneys [ OE. hakeney, hakenay; cf. F. haguenée a pacing horse, an ambling nag, OF. also haquenée, Sp. hacanea, OSp. facanea, D. hakkenei, also OF. haque horse, Sp. haca, OSp. faca; perh. akin to E. hack to cut, and nag, and orig. meaning, a jolting horse. Cf. Hack a horse, Nag. ] 1. A horse for riding or driving; a nag; a pony. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A horse or pony kept for hire. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A carriage kept for hire; a hack; a hackney coach. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A hired drudge; a hireling; a prostitute. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Hackneyed p. pr. & vb. n. Hackneying. ] 1. To devote to common or frequent use, as a horse or carriage; to wear out in common service; to make trite or commonplace; as, a hackneyed metaphor or quotation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Had I so lavish of my presence been,
So common-hackneyed in the eyes of men. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To carry in a hackney coach. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Hackneymen A man who lets horses and carriages for hire. [ 1913 Webster ]