| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
| hit the bar |
go to the bar to buy some drinks
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Every night after work he hit the bar and stayed for hours.
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| hit the books |
begin to study, crack a book
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Exams begin next week. It's time to hit the books.
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| hit the bottle |
drink liquor, get drunk to forget problems
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When Laura left him, he hit the bottle, drinking to forget her.
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| hit the brakes |
step on the brakes in a car or vehicle, try to stop
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When I saw that the other car couldn't stop, I hit the brakes.
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| hit the bricks |
go to jail, be sentenced to a jail term, in the tank
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That was the last time he hit the bricks. He never went to jail again.
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| hit the ceiling |
become very angry, lose your cool
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The third time we were late for class, she hit the ceiling.
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| hit the ground running |
be able to work effectively when you begin a new job, self-starter
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We need someone who can hit the ground running, a person who needs no training.
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| hit the hay |
go to bed, crash
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After supper he hit the hay. He was exhausted.
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| hit the high notes |
sing high notes, play high notes
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Can you hit the high notes on your trumpet? High C?
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| hit the nail on the head |
say the right word, suggest a good idea
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Your comment hit the nail on the head. You spoke the truth.
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