A hawk is a large bird with a short, hooked beak, sharp claws, and very good eyesight. Hawks catch and eat small birds and animals.

In politics, if you refer to someone as a hawk, you mean that they believe in using force and violence to achieve something, rather than using more peaceful or diplomatic methods.

If someone hawks goods, they sell them by walking through the streets or knocking at people's houses, and asking people to buy them.

You can say that someone is hawking something if you do not like the forceful way in which they are asking people to buy it.

If someone hawks, they noisily clear mucus from their throat and spit it out.

If you watch someone like a hawk, you observe them very carefully, usually to make sure that they do not make a mistake or do something you do not want them to do.