hit

[[t]hɪ̱t[/t]]

♦

hits, hitting

(The form hit is used in the present tense and is the past and present participle.)

1) VERB If you hit someone or something, you deliberately touch them with a lot of force, with your hand or an object held in your hand.

[V n] Find the exact grip that allows you to hit the ball hard...

[V n] She hit him hard across his left arm...

[V n] Police at the scene said Dr Mahgoub had been hit several times in the head.

Syn:

strike

2) VERB When one thing hits another, it touches it with a lot of force.

[V n] The car had apparently hit a traffic sign before skidding out of control...

[V n] She hit the last barrier and sprawled across the track.

Syn:

strike

3) VERB If a bomb or missile hits its target, it reaches it.

[V n] ...multiple-warhead missiles that could hit many targets at a time...

[V n] The hospital had been hit with heavy artillery fire.

N-COUNT

Hit is also a noun.

First a house took a direct hit and then the rocket exploded.

4) VERB If something hits a person, place, or thing, it affects them very badly. [JOURNALISM]

[V n] The plan to charge motorists ₤75 a year to use the motorway is going to hit me hard...

[V n] About two-hundred people died in the earthquake which hit northern Peru...

[V n] Special schools were hardest hit.

5) VERB When a feeling or an idea hits you, it suddenly affects you or comes into your mind.

[it V n that] It hit me that I had a choice...

[V n] Then the answer hit me. It had been staring me in the face.

6) VERB If you hit a particular high or low point on a scale of something such as success or health, you reach it. [JOURNALISM]

[V n] He admits to having hit the lowest point in his life ...

[V n] Oil prices hit record levels yesterday.

7) N-COUNT: oft N n If a record, film, or play is a hit, it is very popular and successful.

The song became a massive hit in 1945.

...the surprise hit video of the year.

Ant:

flop

8) N-COUNT If someone who is searching for information on the Internet gets a hit, they find a website where there is that information.

9) PHR-RECIP: V inflects, pl-n PHR, PHR with n If two people hit it off, they like each other and become friendly as soon as they meet. [INFORMAL]

They hit it off straight away, Daddy and Walter...

How well did you hit it off with one another?

10) PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR with n If you make a hit with someone, they like you or are impressed by you when they meet you. [INFORMAL]

He made a hit with Lady Sopwith...

She sends her best wishes - you've obviously made a hit there.

11) to hit the bottle → see bottle

to hit the headlines → see headline

to hit home → see home

to hit the nail on the head → see nail

to hit the road → see road

to hit the roof → see roof

to hit someone for six → see six

Phrasal Verbs:

- hit back

- hit on

- hit upon

- hit out

- hit upon