Emily Dickinson Lexicon

HACK'NEY, n. [Fr. haquenée, a pacing horse; Sp. hacanea, a nag somewhat larger than a pony; haca, a pony; Port. hacanea or acanea, a choice pad, or ambling nag; It. chinea.]

1. A pad; a nag; a pony. Chaucer.
2. A horse kept for hire; a horse much used; also a lady's pony.
3. A coach or other carriage kept for hire, and often exposed in the streets of cities. The word is sometimes contracted to hack.
4. Any thing much used or used in common; a hireling; a prostitute.