hit

1 to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner <a good carpenter hits a nail just two or three times to drive it in> Synonyms bang, bash, bat, belt, biff, bludgeon, bob, bonk, bop, box, bust, clap, clip, clobber, clock, clout, crack, hammer, knock, nail, paste, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slog, slug, smack, smite, sock, strike, swat, swipe, tag, thump, thwack, wallop, whack, whale, zap Related Words batter, beat, buffet, bung, chop, cuff, drub, lace, lambaste (or lambast), lick, mangle, maul, pelt, pepper, pommel, pummel, rough; scuff; bunt, flick, stroke, tap; bump, butt, jab, jostle, kick, knee, poke, prod, push, shove, stamp; bowl (down or over), cream, deck, dump [slang], fell, floor, knock down, level; rabbit-punch, sucker punch; cane, club, cudgel, flail, flog, lash, sap, slash, sledge, sledgehammer, spear, stab, switch, thrash, whip; bean, brain, conk, skull Phrases hang one on

2 to come into usually forceful contact with something <when she fell on the ice, she hit hard and badly bruised her elbow> Synonyms bang, bash, bump, collide, crash, impact, impinge, knock, ram, slam, smash, strike, swipe, thud Related Words bounce, carom, clunk, glance, rebound, ricochet, skim, skip; contact, land, touch; brush, graze, kiss, nudge, scrape, shave, sweep; bulldoze, jostle, muscle, press, push Near Antonyms miss, skirt

3 to obtain (as a goal) through effort <the rock band hit “the big time” with their third album> Synonyms attain, bag, chalk up, clock (up) [chiefly British], gain, achieve, log, make, notch (up), rack up, ring up, score, winRelated Words acquire, capture, carry, draw, garner, get, land, make, obtain, procure, realize, secure; amount (to), approach, equal, match, measure up (to), meet, rival, tie, touch; beat, excel, outdo, surpass, topNear Antonyms fall short (of), miss; fail (at); lose