"Hit" Me! One little word, so many meanings!

One of the more interesting aspects of any language is how a simple word can have so many meanings, and the little word "hit" has loads of meanings of many different kinds.

"Hit" by itself usually means "to strike something." It can be violent. If I "hit you in the face," you should definitely "hit me back," but "hit (someone) back" doesn't have to have a literal, physical meaning. It can also mean "to defend yourself" or "get someone back" for what they did to you. Quick revenge. Of course, if someone does something bad to you, you could also just tell them to "hit the road," which means "to leave now." You might even say "don't let the door hit you on the way out," which means that they should move quickly, faster than the door can close behind them.

But "hit me back" doesn't mean "to do something bad to me after I did something bad to you." It means to return my telephone call, like "call me back." Hmm... And why should you call me back? Perhaps because I want to "hit you up" for some money (borrow) or for a favor (ask). At holidays, charities often "hit people up" for donations to help people in need.

Now, a "hit" can also mean "a success," like a "hit song," or a "hit movie." If a friend does very well at something, you can congratulate him or her by saying "you really hit a homerun!" or "you hit it out of the park!" This is a reference to the sport of baseball. Not just sports, but games also use the word "hit." In the card game Black Jack (a.k.a. 21), if you want the dealer to give you another card, just say "hit me." And "your chicken wings were a hit" means that everyone loved the chicken wings you cooked. (Now I'm getting hungry.)

At a party, if everyone loves the chicken wings you brought, they might say "your wings were a big hit." At that same party, if you get along well with someone you just met for the first time, we say "you hit it off." If the same person talks to you in a romantic sort of way, or leans in and tries to kiss you, then he or she "is hitting on you." Some people like to be "hit on," but others think it's insulting. If you "hit on" someone, your chance of success (a date) could be "hit or miss," which means that it might or might not work. The odds are about 50-50. If you "hit on" the wrong person, he or she might "hit the ceiling" (get very angry). If they do, then "hit the road" immediately.

If you "hit on someone" and it starts a big fight, that guy across the room could start throwing things at you. If you're friends are paying attention, they might tell you to "hit the deck" (drop to the floor quickly), then they might "hit the lights" (turn them off) so nobody can see you. Wow. How did you get into so much trouble!

There are just three more phrases which include the word "hit" and which come to mind right away. "Hit the ground running" means to start a project very quickly with little preparation. If you're project doesn't work and you can't figure out why, you could say you've "hit a brick wall." And finally, (sadly), if a car or a truck hits a person in the street and doesn't stop to help, that's called a "hit and run," and that's a crime.