/ ˈhæmə(r); NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
TOOL
1.
[ C ] a tool with a handle and a heavy metal head, used for breaking things or hitting nails :
( figurative )
The decision is a hammer blow for the steel industry.
—see also sledgehammer
2.
[ C ] a tool with a handle and a wooden head, used by a person in charge of an auction (= a sale at which things are sold to the person who offers the most money) in order to get people's attention when sth is just being sold :
to come / go under the hammer (= to be sold at auction )
IN PIANO
3.
[ C ] a small wooden part inside a piano, that hits the strings to produce a sound
IN GUN
4.
[ C ] a part inside a gun that makes the gun fire
SPORT
5.
[ C ] a metal ball attached to a wire, thrown as a sport
6.
the hammer [ sing. ] the event or sport of throwing the hammer
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IDIOMS
- hammer and tongs
■ verb
HIT WITH TOOL
1.
hammer sth (in / into / onto sth) to hit sth with a hammer :
[ v ]
I could hear somebody hammering next door.
[ vn ]
She hammered the nail into the wall.
[ vn - adj ]
He was hammering the sheet of copper flat.
HIT MANY TIMES
2.
to hit sth hard many times, especially so that it makes a loud noise
SYN pound :
[ v ]
Someone was hammering at the door.
Hail was hammering down onto the roof.
( figurative )
I was so scared my heart was hammering (= beating very fast) in my chest.
[ vn ]
He hammered the door with his fists.
➡ note at beat
KICK / HIT BALL
3.
[ vn , usually + adv. / prep. ] ( informal ) to kick or hit a ball very hard :
He hammered the ball into the net.
DEFEAT EASILY
4.
[ vn ] ( informal ) to defeat sb very easily :
Our team was hammered 5-1.
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- hammer away at sth
- hammer sth home
- hammer sth into sb
- hammer out sth
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English hamor , hamer , of Germanic origin: related to Dutch hamer , German Hammer , and Old Norse hamarr rock. The original sense was probably stone tool .