# Mackin'? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 25, 2005, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546 "2005-01-25T06:08:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Girl\_Next\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@Girl\_Next\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_Next_Door)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546/1 "2005-01-25T06:08:15Z")
Twice in the past month I have heard the term “mackin’” used as some sort of sexual reference. I have never heard it before. What does it mean? This \*\*Girl Next Door \*\* is starting to feel like the **Old Fuddy Duddy Next Door**. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Nunavut\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e95f7d/32.png) [@Nunavut\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunavut_Boy)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546/2 "2005-01-25T06:09:45Z")
replace “macking” with “hitting on a guy/lady who appeared receptive” ---
**Author:** ![bookbuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9bd4f/32.png) [@bookbuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bookbuster)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546/3 "2005-01-25T06:10:41Z")
making “the moves” sorry to say this, but this was from about 15 years ago yea, were sippin on wine, and mackin! ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546/4 "2005-01-25T06:11:27Z")
A friend of mine in San Francisco uses it in the sense of “making out with”. ---
**Author:** ![jester21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed655f/32.png) [@jester21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jester21)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546/5 "2005-01-25T06:14:09Z")
when using the term “mack’n” … the person using it, is in fact usually talking about “the Girl Next Door” 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546/6 "2005-01-25T06:27:50Z")
> [@bookbuster](#): > > making “the moves” > sorry to say this, but this was from about 15 years ago > yea, were sippin on wine, and mackin! No kidding, “mackin” is pretty old school. I’m surprised the kids are still using it. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546/7 "2005-01-25T06:29:53Z")
A related term is “mack daddy” which is used in the same sense that “pimp daddy” or “pimp” might be used. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_Next\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@Girl\_Next\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_Next_Door)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546/8 "2005-01-25T06:47:39Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > A related term is “mack daddy” which is used in the same sense that “pimp daddy” or “pimp” might be used. OK, I’ve heard “mack daddy”, and yes, that IS old. But does mackin’ mean “making out” or “putting the moves on”? Perhaps it has evolved. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546/9 "2005-01-25T06:48:47Z")
I’ve usually heard it as “making out with” ---
**Author:** ![Nunavut\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e95f7d/32.png) [@Nunavut\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunavut_Boy)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546/10 "2005-01-25T06:51:31Z")
I’ve never heard used as ‘making out with’. I always thought it was analogous to ‘was in the process of picking up’. Huh. ---
**Author:** ![Dan\_Turk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dan\_Turk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dan_Turk)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546/11 "2005-01-25T06:52:20Z")
Here’s another bit of trivia… sometimes a macker’s target will be called a roni why a roni, you ask? what do you mack? you macaroni… yes, really, they’re called ronis sometimes also, to translate it to iowa-speak, macking is known as “pitching woo” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546/12 "2005-01-25T07:00:17Z")
> [@Girl Next Door](#): > > OK, I’ve heard “mack daddy”, and yes, that IS old. > > But does mackin’ mean “making out” or “putting the moves on”? Perhaps it has evolved. In the sense I’ve normally used it and heard it, to mack on someone is synonymous with hitting on someone. You can also say you’re “getting your mack on.” A good resource for slang is [http://www.urbandictionary.com](http://www.urbandictionary.com). Looking under “mack” and “macking” it seems the preferred definition is to seduce or flirt with, judging by ratings and number of definitions. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546/13 "2005-01-25T09:28:55Z")
This thread reminds me of one of my favorite songs from seven or eight years ago, _Return of the Mack_ by Mark Morrison. Damn, I loved that song. I couldn’t get enough of it. You’re a musician, right, **pulykamell**? I’d be interested in your (honest) take on that song and/or the entire album if you’re familiar with it. Was it really good stuff or did it just catch me at the right moment? ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546/14 "2005-01-25T09:30:24Z")
> [@Dan Turk](#): > > to translate it to iowa-speak, macking is known as “pitching woo” You mean like “spooning?” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546/15 "2005-01-25T10:17:01Z")
I think the current term is “perving.” Not actually engaged in a sexual act, but certainly pursuing it with vigor and focus. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546/16 "2005-01-25T10:46:36Z")
- - - Just for fun, do a Google search for a game called “Pimp the Backhanding”. ~ ---
**Author:** ![LorieSmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a587f6/32.png) [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546/17 "2005-01-25T11:12:46Z")
People are still saying that? That’s an old term. Like, from the nineties or something. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546/18 "2005-01-25T11:57:19Z")
The Mack Dad’ll make ya _Jump! Jump!_ The Daddy Mack’ll make ya _Jump! Jump!_ ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546/19 "2005-01-25T12:38:47Z")
I think it comes from French. _Maquereau_ (or _mac_ for short) is French slang for ‘pimp’. ---
**Author:** ![galt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@galt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galt)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546/20 "2005-01-25T15:41:48Z")
When I was in high school (graduated in '90), to mack on someone was to make out with them. In college, I met people who used the term to mean to hit on someone. So I’ve heard it used both ways, but I don’t know if it changed over time or based on who I was talking to and/or where I was. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mackin/286546.md?page=2)