hit; hitting
Definition of hit
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a : to reach with or as if with a sudden blow
His mom told him to stop hitting his sister.
b : to come in quick forceful contact with
the ball hit the window He was hit by a car. The tank was hit by enemy fire.
c : to strike (something, such as a ball) with an object (such as a bat, club, or racket) so as to impart or redirect motion
hit a fastball into the outfield
2a : to cause to come into contact
She accidentally hit her head getting into the car.
b : to deliver (something, such as a blow) by action
c : to apply forcefully or suddenly
hit the brakes Will someone hit the lights?
3 : to affect especially detrimentally
farmers hit by drought Many families were hit hard during the recession.
4 : to make a request of
hit his friend for 10 dollars —often used with uphit us up for some change
5 : to discover or meet especially by chance
prospectors hitting gold hit a snowstorm while driving home hit a run of bad luck
6a : to accord with : suit hits public tastes
c : to arrive or appear at, in, or on
hit town the best time to hit the stores The newest issue hits newsstands tomorrow.
d of fish : to bite at or on
will only hit live bait
e : to reflect accurately
hit the right note
f : to reach or strike (something, such as a target) especially for a score in a game or contest
couldn't seem to hit the basket
7 : to indulge in excessively
He repeatedly hit the bottle [=drank alcoholic beverages excessively] and, following a wild binge, was exiled to a remote post in the mountains …— Stanley Karnow
8 : to deal another card to (as in blackjack)
hit me
1a : to strike a blow
boxers hitting furiously at each other
b : to arrive with a forceful effect like that of a blow
the storm hit
2a : to come into contact with something
the plate shattered when it hit
b : attack where the terrorists would hit next
3 : to succeed in attaining or coming up with something
—often used with on or uponhit on a solution
5 of an internal combustion engine : to fire a quantity of mixed fuel and air in the cylinders (see cylinder sense 2b)
the engine wouldn't hit
hit it big hit it off hit on hit the books hit the fan hit the ground running hit the hay or hit the sack hit the high points or hit the high spots hit the jackpot hit the nail on the head hit the road hit the roof or hit the ceiling hit the spot hit the wall
: to achieve great success
: to get along well : become friends
they hit it off immediately
: to make especially sexual overtures to
: to study especially with intensity
: to have a major usually undesirable impact
: to begin or proceed quickly, energetically, or effectively
: to go to bed
: to touch on or at the most important points or places
: to become notably and unexpectedly successful
: to be exactly right
: to give vent to a burst of anger or angry protest
: to give complete or special satisfaction
—used especially of food or drink
1 : to reach the point of physical exhaustion during strenuous activity
2 : to reach a limiting point or situation at which progress or success ceases
hit
nounDefinition of hit (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : an act or instance of striking or forcefully coming in contact with someone or something : an act or instance of hitting or being hit
penalized for an illegal hit from behind The bunker took a direct hit from the bombers.
2a : a stroke of luck
b : a great success
The show was a big hit. a compilation of the band's greatest hits The pony rides were a hit with the kids.
3 : a telling or critical remark
5 : a quantity of a drug ingested at one time
took a hit of LSD
6 : a premeditated murder committed especially by a member of a crime syndicate (see syndicate entry 1 sense 3c)
a hit on a rival gang leader
7 : an instance of connecting to a particular website
a million hits per day
8 : a successful match in a search (as of a computer database or the Internet)
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Time Traveler for hit
The first known use of hit was before the 12th century
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