HAKE (Merluccius merluccius), a fish of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coast of Europe, most abundant south of the British Isles. It differs from other fishes of the cod family in skeletal characters, and is, perhaps, best placed in a separate family. It is a slender fish, with long, acute snout, large terminal mouth, and sharp teeth, and reaches a length of 4 f t.; it is a voracious fish, living in rather deep water; the flesh is soft. Other species are known from both coasts of North America, and from Chile and Patagonia, South Africa and New Zealand.