Part 5318

<hw>Hit</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To meet or come in contact; to strike; to clash; -- followed by <i>against</i> or <i>on</i>.</def>

<blockquote>If bodies be extension alone, how can they move and <b>hit</b> one against another? <i>Locke.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Corpuscles, meeting with or <b>hitting</b> on those bodies, become conjoined with them. <i>Woodward.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To meet or reach what was aimed at or desired; to succeed, -- often with implied chance, or luck.</def>

<blockquote>And oft it <b>hits</b> Where hope is coldest and despair most fits. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>And millions miss for one that <b>hits</b>. <i>Swift.</i></blockquote>

<cs><mcol><col>To hit on</col> &or; <col>upon</col></mcol>, <cd>to light upon; to come to by chance. "None of them <i>hit upon<i> the art."</cd></cs>

<i>Addison.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Hit</h1> <Xpage=696>

<hw>Hit</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>A striking against; the collision of one body against another; the stroke that touches anything.</def>

<blockquote>So he the famed Cilician fencer praised, And, at each <b>hit</b>, with wonder seems amazed. <i>Dryden.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>A stroke of success in an enterprise, as by a fortunate chance; <as>as, he made a <ex>hit</ex></as>.</def>

<blockquote>What late he called a blessing, now was wit, And God's good providence, a lucky <b>hit</b>. <i>Pope.</i></blockquote>

<-- esp. A performance, as a musical recording, movie, or play, which achieved great popularity or acclaim. also used of books or objects of commerce which become big sellers -->

<p><b>3.</b> <def>A peculiarly apt expression or turn of thought; a phrase which hits the mark; <as>as, a happy <ex>hit</ex></as>.</def>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>A game won at backgammon after the adversary has removed some of his men. It counts less than a <i>gammon</i>.</def>

<p><b>5.</b> <fld>(Baseball)</fld> <def>A striking of the ball; <as>as, a safe <ex>hit</ex>; a foul <ex>hit</ex></as>; -- sometimes used specifically for a <altname>base hit</altname>.</def>

<-- 6. A murder performed for hire, esp. by a professional assassin. -->

<-- hit man. (a) a professional murderer, esp. one working for a criminal organization; also, "torpedo" [jargon] (b) (fig.) A slanderer working for political purposes -- See "hatchet man". -->

<cs><mcol><col>Base hit</col>, <col>Safe hit</col>, <col>Sacrifice hit</col></mcol>. <fld>(Baseball)</fld> <cd>See under <er>Base</er>, <er>Safe</er>, etc.</cd></cs>

<-- <h1>Hit.</h1> <Xpage=696>

<hw>Hit.</hw> <tt>adj.</tt> <def>having become very popular or acclaimed; -- said of entertainment performances; <as>as, a hit record, a hit movie.</def> -->

<h1>Hitch</h1> <Xpage=696>

<hw>Hitch</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v.</def> t.</tt> <ety>[Cf. Scot. <ets>hitch</ets> a motion by a jerk, and <ets>hatch</ets>, <ets>hotch</ets>, to move by jerks, also Prov. G. <ets>hiksen</ets>, G. <ets>hinken</ets>, to limp, hobble; or E. <ets>hiccough</ets>; or possibly akin to E. <ets>hook</ets>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To become entangled or caught; to be linked or yoked; to unite; to cling.</def>

<blockquote>Atoms . . . which at length <b>hitched</b> together. <i>South.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To move interruptedly or with halts, jerks, or steps; -- said of something obstructed or impeded.</def>

<blockquote>Slides into verse, and <b>hitches</b> in a rhyme. <i>Pope.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>To ease themselves . . . by <b>hitching</b> into another place. <i>Fuller.</i></blockquote>