hitch

¹ American  

[hich] / hɪtʃ /

verb (used with object)

1. to fasten or tie, especially temporarily, by means of a hook, rope, strap, etc.; tether.

   Steve hitched the horse to one of the posts.

   Synonyms:

   hook, connect, attach

   Antonyms:

   loosen, loose

2. to harness (an animal) to a vehicle (often followed byup ).

   Synonyms:

   yoke

3. to raise with jerks (usually followed byup ); hike up.

   to hitch up one's trousers.

4. to move or draw (something) with a jerk.

5. Slang. to bind by marriage vows; unite in marriage; marry.

   They got hitched in '79.

6. to catch, as on a projection; snag.

   He hitched his jeans on a nail and tore them.

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verb (used without object)

1. to stick, as when caught.

2. to fasten oneself or itself to something (often followed byon ).

3. to move roughly or jerkily.

   The old buggy hitched along.

4. to hobble or limp.

noun

1. the act or fact of fastening, as to something, especially temporarily.

2. any of various knots or loops made to attach a rope to something in such a way as to be readily loosened.

3. Military Slang. a period of military service.

   a three-year hitch in the Navy.

4. an unexpected difficulty, obstacle, delay, etc..

   a hitch in our plans for the picnic.

   Synonyms:

   impediment, catch, hindrance

5. a hitching movement; jerk or pull.

6. a hitching gait; a hobble or limp.

7. a fastening that joins a movable tool to the mechanism that pulls it.

8. Mining.

   1. a fault having a throw less than the thickness of a coal seam being mined.

   2. a notch cut in a wall or the like to hold the end of a stull or other timber.

verb phrase

1. hitch up to harness an animal to a wagon, carriage, or the like.

hitch ² American  

[hich] / hɪtʃ /

noun

1. a minnow, Lavinia exilicauda, inhabiting streams in the area of San Francisco and the Sacramento River basin.

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hitch ³ American  

[hich] / hɪtʃ /

verb (used with or without object)

Informal.

1. hitchhike.

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hitch British  

/ hɪtʃ /

verb

1. to fasten or become fastened with a knot or tie, esp temporarily

2. (often foll by up) to connect (a horse, team, etc); harness

3. to pull up (the trousers, a skirt, etc) with a quick jerk

4. (intr) to move in a halting manner

   to hitch along

5. to entangle or become entangled

   the thread was hitched on the reel

6. slang (tr; passive) to marry (esp in the phrase get hitched )

7. informal to obtain (a ride or rides) by hitchhiking

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noun

1. an impediment or obstacle, esp one that is temporary or minor

   a hitch in the proceedings

2. a knot for fastening a rope to posts, other ropes, etc, that can be undone by pulling against the direction of the strain that holds it

3. a sudden jerk; tug; pull

   he gave it a hitch and it came loose

4. a hobbling gait

   to walk with a hitch

5. a device used for fastening

6. informal a ride obtained by hitchhiking

7. slang a period of time spent in prison, in the army, etc

Other Word Forms

• hitcher noun

Etymology

Origin of hitch¹

First recorded in 1400–50; 1840–50 hitch ¹ for def. 5; late Middle English verb icchen, hicchen, hitchen “to move rapidly or jerkily”; of obscure origin

Origin of hitch²

Origin uncertain

Origin of hitch³

First recorded in 1865–70; by shortening

Example Sentences

A hitch at the police station meant Andrew's detention was slightly longer than it might have been.

From BBC

The questions and worries snowball: "Will everyone be on time? Will there be last-minute hitches on the day?"

From Barron's

An order placed last November went through without a hitch.

From The Wall Street Journal

The main hitch is an obvious one: Factories are hugely expensive to set up and run.

From Los Angeles Times

Flight travel will continue as usual, with some hitches expected.

From Barron's

Related Words

• drawback
• glitch
• hindrance
• impediment
• interruption
• mishap
• snafu
• snag
• stumbling block