hitch

[ hich ]

/ hɪtʃ /

Save This Word!

verb (used with object)

to fasten or tie, especially temporarily, by means of a hook, rope, strap, etc.; tether: Steve hitched the horse to one of the posts.

to harness (an animal) to a vehicle (often followed by up).

to raise with jerks (usually followed by up); hike up: to hitch up one's trousers.

to move or draw (something) with a jerk.

Slang. to bind by marriage vows; unite in marriage; marry: They got hitched in '79.

to catch, as on a projection; snag: He hitched his jeans on a nail and tore them.

verb (used without object)

to stick, as when caught.

to fasten oneself or itself to something (often followed by on).

to move roughly or jerkily: The old buggy hitched along.

to hobble or limp.

noun

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

any of various knots or loops made to attach a rope to something in such a way as to be readily loosened.Compare bend¹ (def. 17).

Military Slang. a period of military service: a three-year hitch in the Navy.

an unexpected difficulty, obstacle, delay, etc.: a hitch in our plans for the picnic.

a hitching movement; jerk or pull.

a hitching gait; a hobble or limp.

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

Mining.

a fault having a throw less than the thickness of a coal seam being mined.
a notch cut in a wall or the like to hold the end of a stull or other timber.

Verb Phrases

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

SYNONYMS FOR hitch

1 attach, connect, hook.

2 yoke.

14 hindrance, catch, impediment.

See synonyms for hitch on Thesaurus.com

ANTONYMS FOR hitch

1 loose, loosen.

See antonyms for hitch on Thesaurus.com

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON PARENTHESES AND BRACKETS APLENTY!

Set some time apart to test your bracket symbol knowledge, and see if you can keep your parentheses, squares, curlies, and angles all straight!

Question 1 of 7

Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?

First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.

First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.

First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of hitch

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

OTHER WORDS FROM hitch

hitcher, noun

Definition for hitch (2 of 3)

hitch²

[ hich ]

/ hɪtʃ /

noun

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

Origin of hitch

Origin uncertain

Definition for hitch (3 of 3)

hitch³

[ hich ]

/ hɪtʃ /

verb (used with or without object), noun Informal.

hitchhike.

Origin of hitch

First recorded in 1865–70; by shortening

OTHER WORDS FROM hitch

hitcher, noun

Example sentences from the Web for hitch

It was only a year ago that the Washington Nationals re-hitched a bulk of their identity — and a good bit of their payroll — to Stephen Strasburg.
Stephen Strasburg should be ‘full-go’ for spring training. The Nats will need him.|Jesse Dougherty|December 17, 2020|Washington Post
They’re those annoying digital pop-ups that ask visitors to accept the use of “cookies,” a pervasive tracking technology that hitches a ride on Internet browsers to track people’s web-surfing activity.
GitHub CEO: We’re nuking all tracking ‘cookies’ and you should too|rhhackettfortune|December 17, 2020|Fortune
That doesn’t mean brands can rest easy and expect Amazon to just take care of everything without a hitch.
Deep Dive: How to grow e-commerce capabilities on Amazon|Pierre Bienaimé|December 15, 2020|Digiday
Adapted and directed by Michael Wilson with sound design and original music from John Gromada along with expert help from Ford’s stage management team, the project has come together with few hitches and many unforeseen delights, says Tetreault.
Ford’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ moves to radio|Patrick Folliard|December 5, 2020|Washington Blade

The theory that microbes can travel from planet to planet, either by hitching a ride on spacecraft or by some other means, is gaining traction among some scientists.
Readers ask about life on Venus and high-energy cosmic rays|Science News Staff|November 29, 2020|Science News
I just had time to give the boat a shove with the hitcher when down it come.
Blue Jackets|George Manville Fenn

British Dictionary definitions for hitch

hitch

/ (hɪtʃ) /

verb

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

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

(tr often foll by up) to pull up (the trousers, a skirt, etc) with a quick jerk

(intr) mainly US to move in a halting mannerto hitch along

to entangle or become entangledthe thread was hitched on the reel

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

informal to obtain (a ride or rides) by hitchhiking

noun

an impediment or obstacle, esp one that is temporary or minora hitch in the proceedings

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

a sudden jerk; tug; pullhe gave it a hitch and it came loose

mainly US a hobbling gaitto walk with a hitch

a device used for fastening

informal a ride obtained by hitchhiking

US and Canadian slang a period of time spent in prison, in the army, etc

Derived forms of hitch

hitcher, noun

Word Origin for hitch

C15: of uncertain origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

hitch

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Verb Phrases

SYNONYMS FOR hitch

ANTONYMS FOR hitch

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON PARENTHESES AND BRACKETS APLENTY!

Origin of hitch

OTHER WORDS FROM hitch

Definition for hitch (2 of 3)

noun

Origin of hitch

Definition for hitch (3 of 3)

verb (used with or without object), noun Informal.

Origin of hitch

OTHER WORDS FROM hitch

Example sentences from the Web for hitch

British Dictionary definitions for hitch

verb

noun

Derived forms of hitch

Word Origin for hitch

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

hitch

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Verb Phrases

SYNONYMS FOR hitch

ANTONYMS FOR hitch

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON PARENTHESES AND BRACKETS APLENTY!

Origin of hitch

OTHER WORDS FROM hitch

Definition for hitch (2 of 3)

noun

Origin of hitch

Definition for hitch (3 of 3)

verb (used with or without object), noun Informal.

Origin of hitch

OTHER WORDS FROM hitch

Words related to hitch

Example sentences from the Web for hitch

British Dictionary definitions for hitch

verb

noun

Derived forms of hitch

Word Origin for hitch