hitch

¹ American  

[hich] / hɪtʃ /

verb (used with or without object)

Informal.

1. hitchhike.

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hitch ² 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 ³ 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 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 1865–70; by shortening

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 hitch¹

Origin uncertain

Example Sentences

I feel a small hitch in my breath.

From Literature

“Oh,” she says, a hitch in her throat.

From Literature

According to the complaint, neither man was affiliated with drug cartels and they were simply hitching a ride back to Trinidad from Venezuela, where they had been engaged in fishing and farm work.

From Barron's

I feel hitches in my sides where the seam of my pants dug in while I was sleeping.

From Literature

At once higher concept and more grounded than the movies, they’re interesting on their own, to the point where, when they finally hitch on to the Marvel multi-mega-serial train, I find them disappointing.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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