I. ˈhit verb
( hit ; hit·ting )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hyttan, probably from Old Norse hitta to meet with, hit
Date: before 12th century
transitive verb
1.
a. : to reach with or as if with a blow
b. : to come in contact with
the ball hit the window
c. : to strike (as a ball) with an object (as a bat, club, or racket) so as to impart or redirect motion
2.
a. : to cause to come into contact
b. : to deliver (as a blow) by action
c. : to apply forcefully or suddenly
hit the brakes
3. : to affect especially detrimentally
farmers hit by drought
4. : to make a request of
hit his friend for 10 dollars
— often used with up
5. : to discover or meet especially by chance
6.
a. : to accord with : suit
b. : reach , attain
prices hit a new high
c. : to arrive or appear at, in, or on
hit town
the best time to hit the stores
d. of fish : to bite at or on
e. : to reflect accurately
hit the right note
f. : to reach or strike (as a target) especially for a score in a game or contest
couldn't seem to hit the basket
g. : bat 2b
7. : to indulge in excessively
hit the bottle
8. : to deal another card to (as in blackjack)
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to strike a blow
b. : to arrive with a forceful effect like that of a blow
the storm hit
2.
a. : to come into contact with something
b. : attack
c. of a fish : strike 11b
d. : bat 1
3. : to succeed in attaining or coming up with something — often used with on or upon
hit on a solution
4. obsolete : to be in agreement : suit
5. of an internal combustion engine : to fire the charge in the cylinders
• hit·ter noun
•
- hit it big
- hit it off
- hit on
- hit the books
- hit the fan
- hit the ground running
- hit the hay
- hit the high points
- hit the jackpot
- hit the nail on the head
- hit the road
- hit the roof
- hit the spot
- hit the wall
II. noun
Date: 15th century
1. : an act or instance of hitting or being hit
more hit s than misses
2.
a. : a stroke of luck
b. : a great success
3. : a telling or critical remark
4. : base hit
5. : a quantity of a drug ingested at one time
6. : a premeditated murder committed especially by a member of a crime syndicate
7. : an instance of connecting to a particular Web site
a million hit s per day
8. : a successful match in a search (as of a computer database or the Internet)
• hit·less ˈhit-ləs adjective