hit

noun countable

UK /hɪt/

Word Forms

singular	hit
plural	hits

1
a song that sells a very large number of copies
They played a lot of old hits from the 70s and 80s.
someone’s greatest hits (=their most successful songs):
a CD of Madonna’s greatest hits
hit single/album/record:
They only ever had one hit single.
Synonyms and related words
Songs
anthem
aria
ballad
1. 1a
  a film, play, or show that is very successful and popular
  The film was a massive hit at the box-office.
  hit film/show
  Synonyms and related words
  Types of story or play
  adaptation
  allegory
  anecdote
2. 1b
  someone or something that people like very much
  be/prove a hit:
  The car proved an instant hit in the States.
  hit with:
  Geoff was a huge hit with the children.
  make a hit with someone:
  He’s already made a big hit with the locals.
  Synonyms and related words
  Popularity or popular things and places
  popularity
  boom
  magnet
2
an occasion when someone or something uses their hand or an object to touch another person or thing with a lot of force
Synonyms and related words
A hit with the hand or a weapon
a clip round the ear/earhole
backhander
bang
1. 2a
  an occasion when something such as a bomb or bullet lands on something, causing damage
  direct hit:
  The house she lived in during the war received a direct hit.
  Synonyms and related words
  A military or armed attack
  air raid
  air strike
  attack
3
a visit by someone to a particular website
Their website gets a couple of hundred hits a day.
Synonyms and related words
The internet
access number
account name
address
1. 3a
  a piece of information that a computer program finds for you
  I searched for the name ‘Mundy’ and got over 50 hits.
  Synonyms and related words
  Processes in computing
  ABEND
  access time
  A-D conversion
4
an occasion when a player hits the ball in a game
Synonyms and related words
Actions in playing games or sports
backhand
backhander
ball
5
informala murder that a criminal does for someone else, usually for money
Synonyms and related words
The crime of killing and ways of killing
assassination
butchery
constructive manslaughter
6
informalan occasion when someone uses an illegal drug
Synonyms and related words
Relating to using illegal drugs
abuse
addiction
addictive
1. 6a
  the effect that an illegal drug has on someone who uses it
  Synonyms and related words
  Relating to using illegal drugs
  abuse
  addiction
  addictive

phrases

take a hit

hit

noun countable

US /hɪt/

Word Forms

singular	hit
plural	hits

1
someone or something that people like very much
be/prove a hit:
The car proved an instant hit in the U.S.
hit with:
The clown was a huge hit with the children.
make a hit with someone:
He’s already made a big hit with the locals.
Synonyms and related words
Popularity or popular things and places
popularity
boom
magnet
1. 1a
  a movie, play, or show that is very successful and popular
  The movie was a massive hit at the box office.
  hit movie/show
  Synonyms and related words
  Types of story or play
  adaptation
  allegory
  anecdote
2. 1b
  a song that sells a very large number of copies
  They played a lot of old hits from the 70s and 80s.
  someone’s greatest hits (=their most successful songs):
  a CD of Madonna’s greatest hits
  hit single/album/record:
  They only ever had one hit single.
  Synonyms and related words
  Songs
  alma mater
  anthem
  aria
2
an occasion when someone or something uses their hand or an object to touch another person or thing with a lot of force
Synonyms and related words
A hit with the hand or a weapon
backhander
blow
bonk
1. 2a
  an occasion when something such as a bomb or bullet lands on something, causing damage
  direct hit:
  The house she lived in during the war received a direct hit.
  Synonyms and related words
  A military or armed attack
  air raid
  air strike
  attack
3
a visit by someone to a particular website
Their website gets a couple of hundred hits a day.
Synonyms and related words
The internet
access number
account name
address
1. 3a
  a piece of information that a computer program finds for you
  I searched for the name “Mundy” and got over 50 hits.
  Synonyms and related words
  Processes in computing
  ABEND
  access time
  A-D conversion
4
an occasion when a player hits the ball in a game
Synonyms and related words
Actions in playing games or sports
backhand
backhander
ball
5
informala murder that a criminal does for someone else, usually for money
Synonyms and related words
The crime of killing and ways of killing
assassination
butchery
constructive manslaughter
6
informalan occasion when someone uses an illegal drug
Synonyms and related words
Relating to using illegal drugs
abuse
addiction
a monkey on your back
1. 6a
  the effect that an illegal drug has on someone who uses it
  Synonyms and related words
  Relating to using illegal drugs
  abuse
  addiction
  a monkey on your back

phrases

take a hit

hit

verb

UK /hɪt/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	hit
he/she/it	hits
present participle	hitting
past tense	hit
past participle	hit

1
intransitive/transitive to move quickly onto an object or surface, touching it with force
She threw her glass across the room and it hit the wall.
hit your head/knee/arm etc on/against something:
It’s thought he may have fallen and hit his head on the kerb.
hit the ground/floor (=fall to the ground):
Try to roll as you hit the ground.
Synonyms and related words
To hit, or to crash into something
hit
crash
collide
1. 1a
  to deliberately move an object so that it touches another object with force
  hit something with something:
  The youngest child was hitting the table with a toy hammer.
  Synonyms and related words
  To hit an object
  punch
  thump
  knock
2. 1b
  to move your hand or an object onto someone’s body with great force, so that you hurt them
  Don’t hit your brother!
  hit someone on the shoulder/cheek/arm etc:
  He hit me on the shoulder.
  hit someone in the face/eye/stomach:
  They hit me in the stomach.
  hit someone with something:
  James was hit with a stick.
  Synonyms and related words
  To hit a person
  hit
  smack
  bludgeon
3. 1c
  to use something such as a bat to make a ball move
  He hit the ball over the net.
  Synonyms and related words
  To perform an action in a game or sport
  blank
  block
  bully off
4. 1d
  if a vehicle hits someone or something, it moves against them with great force
  She was hit by a speeding car.
  The truck hit the wall.
  My car was hit from behind by a lorry.
  Synonyms and related words
  To hit a person
  hit
  smack
  bludgeon
  Synonyms and related words
  To hit an object
  punch
  thump
  knock
  Synonyms and related words
  Vehicle accidents and breakdowns
  accident
  aquaplane
  bang up
5. 1e
  if something such as a bullet or bomb hits someone or something, it lands on them
  She was hit by a stray bullet.
  According to first reports, some bombs have hit schools and hospitals.
  hit the target/bullseye:
  None of the missiles hit their target.
  Synonyms and related words
  To hit, or to crash into something
  hit
  crash
  collide
2
intransitive/transitive to suddenly start to affect someone or something
Many houses have been without water since the storm hit.
The craze hit England in 1951.
He gasped as the pain hit him.
Synonyms and related words
To have an effect
shape
impact
affect
3
transitive often passiveto have a bad effect on someone or something
The people this legislation will hit hardest are the poor.
be hard/badly hit:
Local businesses have been hard hit by the recession.
Synonyms and related words
To have a bad effect, or to reduce a good effect
damage
spoil
harm
4
transitive informalto reach a particular state
a singer who hit the big time (=became very successful) in 1998
Synonyms and related words
To reach a particular amount, point, or state
reach
come
come to
1. 4a
  to reach a particular amount, level, or age
  She hits forty this year and we’re planning a big party.
  Synonyms and related words
  To reach a particular amount, point, or state
  reach
  come
  come to
5
transitive informalto reach a place, especially on your way to somewhere else
When you hit the traffic lights, turn left.
Synonyms and related words
To arrive in a place, or to enter a place
arrive
enter
reach
6
transitive informalto have a problem when you are trying to do something
hit a problem/bad patch:
We hit a problem when we tried to print the document.
The talks appear to have hit a snag.
Synonyms and related words
To be in, or to get into a difficult situation
run out of road
suffer
undergo
7
transitive if an idea or the truth hits you, you suddenly realize it
It suddenly hit her that she would never see him again.
Synonyms and related words
To form an opinion, or to have an idea
measure
come up with
judge
8
transitive spokento press something such as a switch on a machine, vehicle, or computer in order to make it do something
She hit the brakes too late and the car skidded.
Just hit the Save button every few minutes.
Synonyms and related words
To make a machine or piece of equipment work
activate
actuate
coax
9
transitive to achieve a particular score when you hit the ball in a sport such as baseball or cricket
Did anyone hit a home run (=in baseball)?
He hit a six (=in cricket).
Synonyms and related words
To perform an action in baseball
balk
bat
catch
Synonyms and related words
Cricket
the Ashes
at stumps
bail
10
hit a rocky patch
to come to face problems
After their new baby arrived, their marriage hit a rocky patch.
Submitted by:
Boris Marchenko from Russian Federation on 29/05/2016
Open Dictionary - May2016

phrases

hit the ground/street running

hit it off

hit the nail on the head

hit the road

hit the roof/ceiling

hit the sack/hay

hit the town/street etc

not know what hit you

phrasal verbs

hit back

hit for

hit on

hit out

hit up

hit upon

hit with

hit

verb

US /hɪt/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	hit
he/she/it	hits
present participle	hitting
past tense	hit
past participle	hit

1
intransitive/transitive to move your hand or an object onto someone’s body with great force, so that you hurt them
Don’t hit your brother!
hit someone on the shoulder/cheek/arm etc.:
He hit me on the shoulder.
hit someone with something:
James was hit with a baseball bat.
hit someone in the face/eye/stomach:
They hit me in the stomach.
Synonyms and related words
To hit a person
hit
beat
smack
1. 1a
  if a vehicle hits someone or something, it moves against them with great force
  She was hit by a speeding car.
  The truck hit the wall.
  My car was hit from behind.
  Synonyms and related words
  To hit a person
  hit
  beat
  smack
  Synonyms and related words
  To hit an object
  hit
  punch
  strike
  Synonyms and related words
  Vehicle accidents and breakdowns
  accident
  aquaplane
  bang up
2. 1b
  to move quickly onto an object or surface, touching it with force
  She threw her glass across the room and it hit the wall.
  hit your head/knee/arm etc. on/against something:
  It’s thought he may have fallen and hit his head on the curb.
  hit the ground/floor (=fall to the ground):
  Try to roll as you hit the ground.
  Synonyms and related words
  To hit, or to crash into something
  hit
  crash
  collide
3. 1c
  to deliberately move an object so that it touches another object with force
  hit something with something:
  The youngest child was hitting the table with a toy hammer.
  Synonyms and related words
  To hit an object
  hit
  punch
  strike
4. 1d
  if something such as a bullet or bomb hits someone or something, it lands on them
  She was hit by a stray bullet.
  According to first reports, some bombs have hit schools and hospitals.
  hit the target/bullseye:
  None of the missiles hit their target.
  Synonyms and related words
  To hit, or to crash into something
  hit
  crash
  collide
5. 1e
  to use something such as a bat to make a ball move
  He hit the ball into the outfield.
  Synonyms and related words
  To perform an action in a game or sport
  blank
  block
  bobble
2
transitive if an idea or the truth hits you, you suddenly realize it
It suddenly hit her that she would never see him again.
Synonyms and related words
To form an opinion, or to have an idea
measure
come up with
judge
3
transitive informalto reach a particular state
a singer who hit the big time (=became very successful) in 1998
Synonyms and related words
To reach a particular amount, point, or state
reach
come
come to
1. 3a
  to reach a particular amount, level, or age
  She hits forty this year and we’re planning a big party.
  Synonyms and related words
  To reach a particular amount, point, or state
  reach
  come
  come to
4
transitive spokento press something such as a switch on a machine, vehicle, or computer in order to make it do something
She hit the brakes too late and the car skidded.
Just hit the Save button every few minutes.
Synonyms and related words
To make a machine or piece of equipment work
activate
actuate
coax
5
transitive to achieve a particular score when you hit the ball in a sport such as baseball
Did anyone hit a home run?
Synonyms and related words
To perform an action in baseball
balk
bat
baulk
Synonyms and related words
Cricket
bat
batsman
batting average
6
intransitive/transitive to suddenly start to affect someone or something
Many houses have been without water since the storm hit.
The craze hit California in 1951.
He gasped as the pain hit him.
Synonyms and related words
To have an effect
affect
shape
impact
7
transitive informalto reach a place, especially on your way to somewhere else
When you hit the traffic lights, turn left.
Synonyms and related words
To arrive in a place, or to enter a place
arrive
enter
reach
8
transitive informalto have a problem when you are trying to do something
hit a problem/bad patch:
We hit a problem when we tried to print the document.
The talks appear to have hit a snag.
Synonyms and related words
To be in, or to get into a difficult situation
run out of road
suffer
undergo
9
transitive often passiveto have a bad effect on someone or something
be hard/badly hit:
Local businesses have been hard hit by the recession.
The people this legislation will hit the hardest are the poor.
Synonyms and related words
To have a bad effect, or to reduce a good effect
cost
damage
spoil
10
hit a rocky patch
to come to face problems
After their new baby arrived, their marriage hit a rocky patch.
Submitted by:
Boris Marchenko from Russian Federation on 29/05/2016
Open Dictionary - May2016

phrases

hit the campaign/title etc. trail

hit the dirt

hit the ground/street running

hit it off

hit the nail on the head

hit the road

hit the roof/ceiling

hit the sack/hay

hit the town/street, etc.

not know what hit you

phrasal verbs

hit back

hit for

hit on

hit out

hit up

hit upon

hit with

hit ​‌‌

hit ​‌‌

hit ​‌‌‌

hit a rocky patch

hit ​‌‌‌

hit a rocky patch

hit

hit

hit

hit