HIT (hitting)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does hit mean? 

• HIT (noun)
  The noun HIT has 7 senses:

1. (baseball) a successful stroke in an athletic contest (especially in baseball)

2. the act of contacting one thing with another

3. a conspicuous success

4. (physics) a brief event in which two or more bodies come together

5. a dose of a narcotic drug

6. a murder carried out by an underworld syndicate

7. a connection made via the internet to another website

  Familiarity information: HIT used as a noun is common.

• HIT (verb)
  The verb HIT has 16 senses:

1. cause to move by striking

2. hit against; come into sudden contact with

3. deal a blow to, either with the hand or with an instrument

4. reach a destination, either real or abstract

5. affect or afflict suddenly, usually adversely

6. hit with a missile from a weapon

7. encounter by chance

8. gain points in a game

9. cause to experience suddenly

10. make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target

11. kill intentionally and with premeditation

12. drive something violently into a location

13. reach a point in time, or a certain state or level

14. produce by manipulating keys or strings of musical instruments

15. hit the intended target or goal

16. pay unsolicited and usually unwanted sexual attention to

  Familiarity information: HIT used as a verb is very familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HIT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(baseball) a successful stroke in an athletic contest (especially in baseball)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

he came all the way around on Williams' hit

Hypernyms ("hit" is a kind of...):

effort; exploit; feat (a notable achievement)

Domain category:

ball; baseball; baseball game (a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "hit"):

base hit; safety ((baseball) the successful act of striking a baseball in such a way that the batter reaches base safely)

Derivation:

hit (cause to move by striking)

hit (gain points in a game)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of contacting one thing with another

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

hit; hitting; striking

Context example:

after three misses she finally got a hit

Hypernyms ("hit" is a kind of...):

touch; touching (the act of putting two things together with no space between them)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "hit"):

contusion (the action of bruising)

crash; smash (the act of colliding with something)

bunt ((baseball) the act of hitting a baseball lightly without swinging the bat)

fly; fly ball ((baseball) a hit that flies up in the air)

ground ball; groundball; grounder; hopper ((baseball) a hit that travels along the ground)

header ((soccer) the act of hitting the ball with your head)

scorcher; screamer (a very hard hit ball)

plunk; plunker ((baseball) hitting a baseball so that it drops suddenly)

Derivation:

hit (deal a blow to, either with the hand or with an instrument)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A conspicuous success

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

bang; hit; smash; smasher; strike

Context example:

the party went with a bang

Hypernyms ("hit" is a kind of...):

success (an attainment that is successful)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "hit"):

blockbuster; megahit; smash hit (an unusually successful hit with widespread popularity and huge sales (especially a movie or play or recording or novel))

sleeper (an unexpected hit)

Sense 4

Meaning:

(physics) a brief event in which two or more bodies come together

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

collision; hit

Context example:

the collision of the particles resulted in an exchange of energy and a change of direction

Hypernyms ("hit" is a kind of...):

contact; impinging; striking (the physical coming together of two or more things)

Domain category:

natural philosophy; physics (the science of matter and energy and their interactions)

Derivation:

hit (hit against; come into sudden contact with)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A dose of a narcotic drug

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("hit" is a kind of...):

dosage; dose (a measured portion of medicine taken at any one time)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A murder carried out by an underworld syndicate

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

it has all the earmarks of a Mafia hit

Hypernyms ("hit" is a kind of...):

execution; murder; slaying (unlawful premeditated killing of a human being by a human being)

Derivation:

hit (kill intentionally and with premeditation)

Sense 7

Meaning:

A connection made via the internet to another website

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

WordNet gets many hits from users worldwide

Hypernyms ("hit" is a kind of...):

connection; connexion; joining (the act of bringing two things into contact (especially for communication))

• HIT (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Cause to move by striking

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

hit a ball

Hypernyms (to "hit" is one way to...):

impel; propel (cause to move forward with force)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hit"):

play (shoot or hit in a particular manner)

foul (hit a foul ball)

cannon (make a cannon)

clap (strike together so as to produce a sharp percussive noise)

ground out (make an out by hitting the ball on the ground)

toe (drive (a golf ball) with the toe of the club)

shank (hit (a golf ball) with the heel of a club, causing the ball to veer in the wrong direction)

pitch (hit (a golf ball) in a high arc with a backspin)

fly (hit a fly)

snap (put in play with a snap)

whang (propel or hit with force)

undercut (strike (the ball) in golf, tennis, or hockey obliquely downward so as to give a backspin or elevation to the shot)

putt (strike (a golf ball) lightly, with a putter)

heel (strike with the heel of the club)

toe (hit (a golf ball) with the toe of the club)

bunker (hit a golf ball into a bunker)

bounce (hit something so that it bounces)

backhand (hit a tennis ball backhand)

pop (hit a pop-fly)

follow through (carry a stroke to natural completion after hitting or releasing a ball)

shell (hit the pitches of hard and regularly)

ground (hit onto the ground)

ground (hit a groundball)

top (strike (the top part of a ball in golf, baseball, or pool) giving it a forward spin)

pull (hit in the direction that the player is facing when carrying through the swing)

kill (hit with great force)

kill (hit with so much force as to make a return impossible, in racket games)

connect (hit or play a ball successfully)

drive (hit very hard, as by swinging a bat horizontally)

drive (strike with a driver, as in teeing off)

hole; hole out (hit the ball into the hole)

bunt; drag a bunt (hit a ball in such a way so as to make it go a short distance)

snick (hit a glancing blow with the edge of the bat)

racket (hit (a ball) with a racket)

carry; dribble (propel)

slice (hit a ball and put a spin on it so that it travels in a different direction)

hook (hit a ball and put a spin on it so that it travels to the left)

single (hit a single)

double (hit a two-base hit)

triple (hit a three-base hit)

smash (hit (a tennis ball) in a powerful overhead stroke)

shoot (throw or propel in a specific direction or towards a specific objective)

volley (hit before it touches the ground)

croquet (drive away by hitting with one's ball)

loft (kick or strike high in the air)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

The children hit the ball

Derivation:

hit ((baseball) a successful stroke in an athletic contest (especially in baseball))

hitter (someone who hits)

hitting (the act of contacting one thing with another)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Hit against; come into sudden contact with

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

collide with; hit; impinge on; run into; strike

Context example:

He struck the table with his elbow

Hypernyms (to "hit" is one way to...):

touch (make physical contact with, come in contact with)

Verb group:

strike (deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hit"):

stub (strike (one's toe) accidentally against an object)

ping (hit with a pinging noise)

bang; spang (leap, jerk, bang)

rear-end (collide with the rear end of)

broadside (collide with the broad side of)

connect (land on or hit solidly)

spat (strike with a sound like that of falling rain)

thud (strike with a dull sound)

bottom (strike the ground, as with a ship's bottom)

bottom out (hit the ground)

bump; knock (knock against with force or violence)

bump into; butt against; jar against; knock against; run into (collide violently with an obstacle)

clash; collide (crash together with violent impact)

glance (hit at an angle)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

The car hits the tree

Antonym:

miss (fail to reach)

Derivation:

hit ((physics) a brief event in which two or more bodies come together)

hitting (the act of contacting one thing with another)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Deal a blow to, either with the hand or with an instrument

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

He hit her hard in the face

Hypernyms (to "hit" is one way to...):

touch (make physical contact with, come in contact with)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hit"):

clap (strike with the flat of the hand; usually in a friendly way, as in encouragement or greeting)

bang; slam (strike violently)

lace into; lam into; lay into; pitch into; tear into (hit violently, as in an attack)

kick (strike with the foot)

swipe (strike with a swiping motion)

smite (inflict a heavy blow on, with the hand, a tool, or a weapon)

hook (hit with a hook)

swat (hit swiftly with a violent blow)

bash; bonk; bop; sock; whap; whop (hit hard)

bean (hit on the head, especially with a pitched baseball)

pop (hit or strike)

catch; get (reach with a blow or hit in a particular spot)

conk (hit, especially on the head)

cosh (hit with a cosh, usually on the head)

brain (hit on the head)

blast; boom; nail; smash (hit hard)

crack (hit forcefully; deal a hard blow, making a cracking noise)

sandbag; stun (hit something or somebody as if with a sandbag)

bat (strike with, or as if with a baseball bat)

bat (use a bat)

bat (have a turn at bat)

cut (hit (a ball) with a spin so that it turns in the opposite direction)

poke; pound; thump (hit hard with the hand, fist, or some heavy instrument)

smack; thwack (deliver a hard blow to)

belt (deliver a blow to)

plug; punch (deliver a quick blow to)

slog; slug; swig (strike heavily, especially with the fist or a bat)

wallop; whack; wham; whop (hit hard)

biff; pommel; pummel (strike, usually with the fist)

buff; buffet (strike, beat repeatedly)

box (hit with the fist)

bludgeon; club (strike with a club or a bludgeon)

cudgel; fustigate (strike with a cudgel)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody with something

Sentence example:

The fighter managed to hit his opponent

Derivation:

hit; hitting (the act of contacting one thing with another)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Reach a destination, either real or abstract

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

arrive at; attain; gain; hit; make; reach

Context example:

I have to hit the MAC machine before the weekend starts

"Hit" entails doing...:

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Verb group:

make (reach in time)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hit"):

catch up (reach the point where one should be after a delay)

scale; surmount (reach the highest point of)

access; get at (reach or gain access to)

bottom out (reach the low point)

peak; top out (to reach the highest point; attain maximum intensity, activity)

breast; summit (reach the summit (of a mountain))

top (reach or ascend the top of)

make (reach in time)

find (succeed in reaching; arrive at)

culminate (reach the highest altitude or the meridian, of a celestial body)

come through; get through (succeed in reaching a real or abstract destination after overcoming problems)

ground; run aground (hit or reach the ground)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They hit the water

Sense 5

Meaning:

Affect or afflict suddenly, usually adversely

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

hit; strike

Context example:

The earthquake struck at midnight

Hypernyms (to "hit" is one way to...):

affect; bear on; bear upon; impact; touch; touch on (have an effect upon)

Verb group:

hit; strike (make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

The wind storms hit the area with dust and dirt

Sense 6

Meaning:

Hit with a missile from a weapon

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

hit; pip; shoot

Hypernyms (to "hit" is one way to...):

injure; wound (cause injuries or bodily harm to)

Verb group:

hit; strike (make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target)

blast; shoot (fire a shot)

pip; shoot (kill by firing a missile)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hit"):

gun down (strike down or shoot down)

grass (shoot down, of birds)

kneecap (shoot in the kneecap, often done by terrorist groups as a warning)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

hitting (the act of contacting one thing with another)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Encounter by chance

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

hit; stumble

Context example:

I stumbled across a long-lost cousin last night in a restaurant

Hypernyms (to "hit" is one way to...):

come by; come into (obtain, especially accidentally)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 8

Meaning:

Gain points in a game

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

hit; rack up; score; tally

Context example:

He hit .300 in the past season

Hypernyms (to "hit" is one way to...):

advance; gain; gain ground; get ahead; make headway; pull ahead; win (obtain advantages, such as points, etc.)

"Hit" entails doing...:

compete; contend; vie (compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hit"):

par (make a score (on a hole) equal to par)

shoot (score)

convert (score (a spare))

convert (complete successfully)

convert (score an extra point or points after touchdown by kicking the ball through the uprights or advancing the ball into the end zone)

homer (hit a home run)

kick (make a goal)

eagle (shoot in two strokes under par)

hole up (score a hole in one)

ace (score an ace against)

walk (obtain a base on balls)

equalise; equalize; get even (compensate; make the score equal)

get; have; make (achieve a point or goal)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

hit ((baseball) a successful stroke in an athletic contest (especially in baseball))

Sense 9

Meaning:

Cause to experience suddenly

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

come to; hit; strike

Context example:

They were struck with fear

Verb group:

affect; impress; move; strike (have an emotional or cognitive impact upon)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s somebody

Sense 10

Meaning:

Make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

hit; strike

Context example:

in the fifth inning, the Giants struck, sending three runners home to win the game 5 to 2

Hypernyms (to "hit" is one way to...):

assail; attack (launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with)

Verb group:

hit; pip; shoot (hit with a missile from a weapon)

hit; strike (affect or afflict suddenly, usually adversely)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hit"):

slice (hit a ball so that it causes a backspin)

chop (hit sharply)

stroke (strike a ball with a smooth blow)

retaliate; strike back (make a counterattack and return like for like, especially evil for evil)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sense 11

Meaning:

Kill intentionally and with premeditation

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

bump off; dispatch; hit; murder; off; polish off; remove; slay

Context example:

The mafia boss ordered his enemies murdered

Hypernyms (to "hit" is one way to...):

kill (cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hit"):

burke (murder without leaving a trace on the body)

execute (murder in a planned fashion)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Sam cannot hit Sue

Derivation:

hit (a murder carried out by an underworld syndicate)

Sense 12

Meaning:

Drive something violently into a location

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

hit; strike

Context example:

she struck her head on the low ceiling

Hypernyms (to "hit" is one way to...):

displace; move (cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hit"):

smash (hit violently)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 13

Meaning:

Reach a point in time, or a certain state or level

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

attain; hit; reach

Context example:

This car can reach a speed of 140 miles per hour

Hypernyms (to "hit" is one way to...):

arrive; come; get (reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hit"):

max out (reach a maximum)

break even (attain a level at which there is neither gain nor loss, as in business, gambling, or a competitive sport)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 14

Meaning:

Produce by manipulating keys or strings of musical instruments

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

hit; strike

Context example:

strike 'z' on the keyboard

Hypernyms (to "hit" is one way to...):

touch (make physical contact with, come in contact with)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 15

Meaning:

Hit the intended target or goal

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "hit" is one way to...):

bring home the bacon; come through; deliver the goods; succeed; win (attain success or reach a desired goal)

"Hit" entails doing...:

aim; direct; take; take aim; train (point or cause to go (blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment) towards)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

hitting (the act of contacting one thing with another)

Sense 16

Meaning:

Pay unsolicited and usually unwanted sexual attention to

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

He tries to hit on women in bars

Hypernyms (to "hit" is one way to...):

approach (make advances to someone, usually with a proposal or suggestion)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

 Context examples 

I have no doubt that you have hit upon the truth.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) Does the patient attempt to hurt or hit others?

(NPI - Attempt to Hurt or Hit Others, NCI Thesaurus)

“A thousand things come back to me which make me certain that you have hit it. Oh, let us lose not an instant in bringing help to this poor creature.”

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

You can also have one if you suffer a blow to the head or hit your head after a fall.

(Concussion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Sometimes it involves direct attacks such as hitting, name calling, teasing or taunting.

(Bullying, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

When you play the piano or hit a tennis ball you are activating the cerebellum.

(Cerebellar Disorders, NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

I ran in close and struck another blow, hitting the shoulder instead of the head.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

I believe you have hit it.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Where they have it, I don't know yet; but once we hit the treasure, we'll have to jump about and find out.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

He threw stones at them, but could not hit them.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)