/ hɪtʃ; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
1.
to get a free ride in a person's car; to travel around in this way, by standing at the side of the road and trying to get passing cars to stop :
[ vn ]
They hitched a ride in a truck.
( BrE also)
They hitched a lift .
[ v ]
We spent the summer hitching around Europe.
—see also hitchhike
2.
[ vn ] hitch sth (up) to pull up a piece of your clothing
SYN hike up :
She hitched up her skirt and waded into the river.
3.
[ vn + adv. / prep. ] hitch yourself (up, etc.) to lift yourself into a higher position, or the position mentioned :
She hitched herself up.
He hitched himself onto the bar stool.
4.
[ vn ] hitch sth (to sth) to fix sth to sth else with a rope, a hook, etc. :
She hitched the pony to the gate.
•
IDIOMS
- get hitched
■ noun
1.
a problem or difficulty that causes a short delay :
The ceremony went off without a hitch .
a technical hitch
2.
a type of knot :
a clove hitch
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in sense 2): of unknown origin.