Hijack Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary (original) (raw)

Britannica Dictionary definition of HIJACK

[+ object]

1

a

:

to stop and steal (a moving vehicle)

• He hijacked a truck, threatening the driver at gunpoint.

b

:

to steal (something) from a moving vehicle that you have stopped

• A band of robbers hijacked the load of furs from the truck.

2

:

to take control of (an aircraft) by force

• A group of terrorists hijacked the plane.

3

:

to take or take control of (something) for your own purposes

• The organization has been hijacked by radicals.

— hijack

noun,

plural

hijacks

[count]

• recent airline hijacks

— hijacker

noun,

plural

hijackers

[count]

• airline hijackers

— hijacking

noun,

plural

hijackings

[count]

• recent airline hijackings