To take control of a vehicle (usually a plane or ship) by force; or to seize control of something else, like a conversation or plan.
Origin uncertain but possibly from 'hi, Jack!' as a highwayman's greeting, or from slang 'jack' (to rob); gained prominence during 1960s airplane hijackings and expanded metaphorically.
The term 'hijack' shot into public consciousness during the 1960s airplane hijacking crisis, and now it's used for everything from social media accounts to conversations being 'hijacked'—showing how dramatic events create words that spread metaphorically!
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