Hammer
1 Americannoun
noun
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a tool consisting of a solid head, usually of metal, set crosswise on a handle, used for beating metals, driving nails, etc.
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any of various instruments or devices resembling this in form, action, or use, as a gavel, a mallet for playing the xylophone, or a lever that strikes the bell in a doorbell.
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Firearms. the part of a lock that by its fall or action causes the discharge, as by exploding the percussion cap or striking the primer or firing pin; the cock.
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one of the padded levers by which the strings of a piano are struck.
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Track. a metal ball, usually weighing 16 pounds (7.3 kilograms), attached to a steel wire at the end of which is a grip, for throwing for distance in the hammer throw.
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Anatomy. the malleus.
verb (used with object)
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to beat or drive (a nail, peg, etc.) with a hammer.
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to fasten by using hammer and nails; nail (often followed by down, up, etc.).
We spent the day hammering up announcements on fences and trees.
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to assemble or build with a hammer and nails (often followed bytogether ).
He hammered together a small crate.
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to shape or ornament (metal or a metal object) by controlled and repeated blows of a hammer; beat out.
to hammer brass; to hammer a brass bowl.
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to form, construct, or make with or as if with a hammer; build by repeated, vigorous, or strenuous effort (often followed by out ortogether ).
to hammer out an agreement; to hammer together a plot.
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to produce with or by force (often followed byout ).
to hammer out a tune on the piano; to hammer a home run.
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to pound or hit forcefully.
to hammer someone in the jaw.
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to settle (a strong disagreement, argument, etc.); bring to an end, as by strenuous or repeated effort (usually followed byout ).
They hammered out their differences over a glass of beer.
- Synonyms:
- work out, thrash out, solve, resolve
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to present (points in an argument, an idea, etc.) forcefully or compellingly; state strongly, aggressively, and effectively (often followed byhome ).
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to impress (something) as if by hammer blows.
You'll have to hammer the rules into his head.
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British.
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(in the London stock exchange) to dismiss (a person) from membership because of default.
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to depress the price of (a stock).
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verb (used without object)
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to strike blows with or as if with a hammer.
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to make persistent or laborious attempts to finish or perfect something (sometimes followed byaway ).
He hammered away at his speech for days.
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to reiterate; emphasize by repetition (often followed byaway ).
The teacher hammered away at the multiplication tables.
idioms
noun
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a hand tool consisting of a heavy usually steel head held transversely on the end of a handle, used for driving in nails, beating metal, etc
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any tool or device with a similar function, such as the moving part of a door knocker, the striking head on a bell, etc
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a power-driven striking tool, esp one used in forging. A pneumatic hammer delivers a repeated blow from a pneumatic ram, a drop hammer uses the energy of a falling weight
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a part of a gunlock that rotates about a fulcrum to strike the primer or percussion cap, either directly or via a firing pin
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athletics
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a heavy metal ball attached to a flexible wire: thrown in competitions
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the event or sport of throwing the hammer
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an auctioneer's gavel
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a device on a piano that is made to strike a string or group of strings causing them to vibrate
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anatomy the nontechnical name for malleus
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curling the last stone thrown in an end
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to be offered for sale by an auctioneer
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with great effort or energy
fighting hammer and tongs
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slang
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persistently demanding and critical of someone
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in hot pursuit of someone
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verb
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to strike or beat (a nail, wood, etc) with or as if with a hammer
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(tr) to shape or fashion with or as if with a hammer
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(tr; foll by in or into) to impress or force (facts, ideas, etc) into (someone) through constant repetition
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(intr) to feel or sound like hammering
his pulse was hammering
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to work at constantly
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(tr)
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to question in a relentless manner
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to criticize severely
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informal to inflict a defeat on
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slang (tr) to beat, punish, or chastise
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(tr) stock exchange
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to announce the default of (a member)
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to cause prices of (securities, the market, etc) to fall by bearish selling
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Other Word Forms
- hammer-like adjective
- hammerable adjective
- hammerer noun
- hammerlike adjective
- outhammer verb (used with object)
- rehammer verb (used with object)
- underhammer noun
Etymology
Origin of hammer
First recorded before 1000; Middle English hamer, Old English hamor; cognate with German Hammer “hammer,” Old Norse hamarr “hammer, crag”; originally, a stone weapon; probably akin to Russian kámen' “stone”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He was one of Australia's few positives in their 3-0 hammering at the hands of Pakistan.
From BBC
Concerns this week that new AI tools will replace software businesses have hammered the share prices of private-markets companies, which over the past decade have invested huge sums in the software sector.
In Florida, heating-and-cooling company Carrier Global saw its shares hammered last year thanks to a stagnant housing market that ate into its residential segment.
He let the crops go to seed and hammered on the dang thing night and day.
From Literature
GB started with the hammer, took two in accomplished first end, and looked like they might enjoy a comfortable start to the day in Italy.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
