hit the deck

Idioms  

1. Also, hit the dirt. Fall to the ground, usually for protection. For example, As the planes approached, we hit the deck, or We heard shooting and hit the dirt. In the early 1900s the first expression was nautical slang for “jump out of bed,” or “wake up,” and somewhat later, “get going.” The current meaning dates from the 1920s.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hit the deck

He hit the deck again in the 12th round, but the referee ruled it a slip and Kelly rallied to end the strongest at the final bell.

From BBC ● Jan. 31, 2026

Pages held on as Hernández hit the deck.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2025

Italians Simone Consonni and Elia Viviani looked set to take the win, but after Consonni hit the deck, they could not respond to Portugal's late surge.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2024

There was a tense moment in the fifth when Tatis hit the deck on a high-and-tight pitch from Joe Kelly that hit the knob of the bat and sent it flying.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 4, 2023

Dry like leaves, rattling as it hit the deck.

From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi