Headway Word of the Week
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hit (verb)
To hit means to move quickly into an object or surface with a lot of force.
You can hit things accidentally with part of your body.
- I hit my knee on the corner of the desk as I stood up.
You can hit people or things deliberately with your hand or an object like a bat or racquet.
- Mum! Stephen hit me in the stomach. Tell him not to!
- Roddick hit a beautiful backhand down the line to win the tennis match.
Objects like cars, bullets and bombs can hit things.
- It was a terrible accident. The car went out of control and hit a wall.
- The bullet hit him in the right shoulder.
- One of the missiles hit the hospital
Check out other meanings of hit
- to have a bad effect
When her mother died, it hit her very hard.
- to realise
Then it suddenly hit me. I realised that if I opened the restaurant on Sundays I would double my money.
- to reach
I'm having a party because I hit forty in November.
When you hit the ring road, take the first left.
If you hit a problem, give me a ring. I'll help.
Check out expressions
- She hit on an idea.
( = She had an idea)
- He hit back at his critics.
( = He responded to his critics)
- They hit it off straightaway.
( = They liked each other immediately)
- Let's hit the road.
( = Let's start (on the journey)
- You've hit the nail on the head.
( = You are exactly right)
- I'm tired. I'm going to hit the sack.
( = I'm going to go to bed)
- She'll hit the roof when you tell her.
( = She'll be very angry)
- He won't know what's hit him.
( = He'll be very shocked when it happens)
- The new company hit the ground running.
( = It was successful from the start)
Check out other related words
- beat
- punch
- strike
- affect
- reach
⇒ Learn more words in the Word of the Week archive