[hit the deck]{v. phr.} To get up from bed, to start working. (From sailor’s language as in "All hands on the deck!") •/OK boys, it’s time to hit the deck!/
[hit the dirt]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {military} To take cover under gunfire by falling on the ground. •/We hit the dirt the moment we heard the machine gun fire./
[hit the fan]{v. phr.}, {informal} To become a big public problem or controversy. •/The whole mess hit the fan when the judge was arrested for drunken driving for the second time./
[hit the hay] or [hit the sack] {v. phr.}, {slang} To go to bed. •/The men hit the hay early, in order to be out hunting at dawn./ •/Louis was so tired that he hit the sack soon after supper./
[hit the high spots]{v. phr.} To consider, mention, or see only the more important parts of something such as a book, war, or school course. •/In his lecture, the speaker hit the high spots of his subject./ •/The first course in general science hits only the high spots of the physical sciences./ •/The Bakers went to the fair for one day, and only hit the high spots./
[hit the jackpot]{v. phr.}, {slang} To be very lucky or successful. •/Mr. Brown invented a new gadget which hit the jackpot./ •/Mrs. Smith hit the jackpot when she got Lula for a maid./
[hit the nail on the head]{v. phr.} To get something exactly right; speak or act in the most fitting or effective way. •/The mayor’s talk on race relations hit the nail on the head./
[hit the road]{v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To become a wanderer; to live an idle life; become a tramp or hobo. •/When Jack’s wife left him, he felt a desire to travel, so he hit the road./ 2. To leave, especially in a car. •/It is getting late, so I guess we will hit the road for home./ •/He packed his car and hit the road for California./
[hit the roof] See: HIT THE CEILING.
[hit the sack] See: HIT THE HAY.
[hit the sauce]{v. phr.}, {slang} To drink alcoholic beverages — especially heavily and habitually. •/When Sue left him, Joe began to hit the sauce./
[hit the spot]{v. phr.}, {informal} To refresh fully or satisfy you; bring back your spirits or strength. — Used especially of food or drink. •/A cup of tea always hits the spot when you are tired./ •/Mother’s apple pie always hits the spot with the boys./
[hit town]{v. phr.} To arrive in town. •/Give me a phone call as soon as you hit town./
[hit upon] See: HIT ON.
[hob] See: PLAY THE DEVIL WITH or PLAY HOB WITH.
[hoe] See: HARD ROW TO HOE or TOUGH ROW TO HOE.
[hoe one’s own row]{v. phr.} To make your way in life by your own efforts; get along without help. •/David’s father died when he was little, and he has always had to hoe his own row./ Syn.: PADDLE ONE’S OWN CANOE, STAND ON ONE’S OWN FEET.
[hog] See: EAT (LIVE) HIGH ON THE HOG or EAT (LIVE) HIGH OFF THE HOG, GO THE WHOLE HOG or GO WHOLE HOG, ROAD HOG.
[hog-tie]{v.}, {informal} 1. To tie (an animal) so it is unable to move or escape. •/The Cowboy caught a calf and hog-tied it./ 2. To make someone unable to act freely; limit. •/The welfare worker wanted to help at once, but rules and regulations hog-tied her, so she could only report the case./
[hoist with one’s own petard]{adj. phr.} Caught in your own trap or trick. •/Jack carried office gossip to the boss until he was hoisted by his own petard./ (From Shakespeare; literally, blown up with one’s own bomb.)
[hold] See: GET HOLD OF, LAY HOLD OF, LEAVE HOLDING THE BAG or LEAVE HOLDING THE SACK.
[hold a brief for]{v. phr.} To argue in support of; defend. — Usually used with a negative. •/I hold no brief for John, but I do not think he was responsible for the accident./ •/The lawyer said he held no brief for thievery, but he considered the man should he given another chance./
[hold a candle to] also [hold a stick to] {v. phr.} To be fit to be compared with; be in the same class with. — A trite phrase used in negative, interrogative, and conditional sentences. •/Henry thought that no modern ball club could hold a candle to those of 50 years ago./
[hold all the trumps]{v. phr.} To have the best chance of winning; have all the advantages; have full control. •/Most of the team wants John for captain and he is the best player. He will he elected captain because he holds all the trumps./ •/Freddy has a quarter and I have no money, so he holds all the trumps and can buy whatever he wants with it./
[hold back]{v.} 1. To stay back or away; show unwillingness. •/The visitor tried to gel the child to come to her, but he held back./ •/John held back from social activity because he felt embarrassed with people./ 2. To keep someone in place; prevent from acting. •/The police held back the crowd./
[hold court]{v. phr.} 1. To hold a formal meeting of a royal court or a court of law. •/Judge Stephens allowed no foolishness when he held court./ 2. {informal} To act like a king or queen among subjects. •/Even at sixteen, Judy was holding court for numbers of charmed boys./
[hold down]{v.} 1. To keep in obedience; keep control of; continue authority or rule over. •/Kings used to know very well how to hold down the people./ 2. {informal} To work satisfactorily at. •/John had held down a tough job for a long time./
[hold everything] See: HOLD IT.
[hold fire] See: HOLD ONE’S FIRE.
[hold forth]{v.} 1. To offer; propose. •/As a candidate, Jones held forth the promise of a bright future./ 2. To speak in public; preach. — Usually used with little respect. •/Senator Smith was holding forth on free trade./
[hold good]{v.} 1. To continue to be good; last. •/The coupon on the cereal box offered a free toy, but the offer held good only till the end of the year./ •/Attendance at the basketball games held good all winter./ 2. To continue; endure: last. •/The demand for new houses held good all that year./ •/The agreement between the schools held good for three years./ See: HOLD TRUE.
[hold it] or [hold everything] {v. phr.}, {informal} To stop something one is doing or getting ready to do. — Usually used as a command. •/The pilot was starting to take off, when the control tower ordered "Hold it!"/
[hold off]{v.} 1a. To refuse to let (someone) become friendly. •/The president’s high rank and chilly manner held people off./ Compare: KEEP AT A DISTANCE. 1b. To be rather shy or unfriendly. •/Perkins was a scholarly man who held off from people./ Compare: KEEP AT A DISTANCE. 2. To keep away by fighting; oppose by force. •/The man locked himself in the house and held off the police for an hour./ 3. To wait before (doing something); postpone; delay. •/Jack held off paying for the television set until the dealer fixed it./ •/Mr. Smith held off from building while interest rates were high./
[hold on]{v.} 1. To keep holding tightly; continue to hold strongly. •/As Ted was pulling on the rope, it began to slip and Earl cried, "Hold on, Ted!"/ Syn.: HANG ON. 2. To wait and not hang up a telephone; keep a phone for later use. •/Mr. Jones asked me to hold on while he spoke to his secretary./ 3. To keep on with a business or job in spite of difficulties. •/It was hard to keep the store going during the depression, but Max held on and at last met with success./ 4. {informal} To wait a minute; stop. — Usually used as a command. •/"Hold on!" John’s father said, "I want the car tonight."/
[hold one’s breath]{v. phr.} 1. To stop breathing for a moment when you are excited or nervous. •/The race was so close that everyone was holding his breath at the finish./ 2. To endure great nervousness, anxiety, or excitement. •/John held his breath for days before he got word that the college he chose had accepted him./
[hold one’s end up] or [hold up one’s end] or [keep one’s end up] or [keep up one’s end] {v. phr.}, {informal} To do your share of work; do your part. •/Mary washed the dishes so fast that Ann, who was drying them, couldn’t keep her end up./ •/Susan kept up her end of the conversation, but Bill did not talk very much./ •/Bob said he would lend me his bicycle if I repaired the flat tire, but he didn’t keep up his end of the bargain./
[hold one’s fire] or [hold fire] {v. phr.} To keep back arguments or facts; keep from telling something. •/Tow could have hurt Fred by telling what he knew, but he held his fire./ •/Mary held fire until she had enough information to convince the other club members./
[hold one’s head up]{v. phr.} To show self-respect; not be ashamed; be proud. •/When Mr. Murray had paid off his debts, he felt that he could hold his head up again./
[hold one’s horses]{v. phr.}, {informal} To stop; wait; be patient. — Usually used as a command. May be considered rude. •/"Hold your horses!" Mr. Jones said to David when David wanted to call the police./
[hold one’s nose to the grindstone] See: KEEP ONE’S NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE.
[hold one’s own]{v. phr.} To keep your position; avoid losing ground; keep your advantage, wealth, or condition without loss. •/Mr. Smith could not build up his business, but he held his own./ •/The team held its own after the first quarter./ •/Mary had a hard time after the operation, but soon she was holding her own./
[hold one’s peace]{v. phr.}, {formal} To be silent and not speak against something; be still; keep quiet. •/I did not agree with the teacher, but held my peace as he was rather angry./ Compare: HOLD ONE’S TONGUE
[hold one’s temper] or [keep one’s temper] {v. phr.} To make yourself be quiet and peaceful; not become angry. •/The meeting will go smoothly if the president keeps his temper./ •/Dave can’t keep his temper when he drives in heavy traffic./ Contrast: LOSE ONE’S TEMPER, BLOW ONE’S STACK.
[hold one’s tongue]{v. phr.} To be silent; keep still; not talk. — May be considered rude. •/The teacher told Fred to hold his tongue./ •/If people would hold their tongues from unkind speech, fewer people would be hurt/
[hold on to]{v. phr.} 1a. or [hold to] To continue to hold or keep; hold tightly. •/When Jane played horse with her father, she held on to him tightly./ •/The teacher said that if we believed something was true and good we should hold on to it./ •/The old man held on to his job stubbornly and would not retire./ 1b. To stay in control of. •/Ann was so frightened that she had to hold on to herself not to scream./ Contrast: LET GO. 2. To continue to sing or sound. •/The singer held on to the last note of the song for a long time./
[hold on to your hat] See: HANG ON TO YOUR HAT.
[holdout]{n.} A rebel who refuses to go with the majority. •/Sam was a lone holdout in town; he refused to sell his old lakefront cottage to make place for a skyscraper./
[hold out]{v. phr.} 1. To put forward; reach out; extend; offer. •/Mr. Ryan held out his hand in welcome./ •/The clerk held out a dress for Martha to try on./ •/The Company held out many fine promises to Jack in order to get him to work for them./ 2. To keep resisting; not yield; refuse to give up. •/The city held out for six months under siege./ Compare: HANG ON, HOLD ON. 3. To refuse to agree or settle until one’s wishes have been agreed to. •/The strikers held out for a raise of five cents an hour./ 4. {slang} To keep something from; refuse information or belongings to which someone has a right. •/Mr. Porters partner held out on him when the big payment came in./ •/Mother gave Bobby cookies for all the children in the yard, but he held out on them and ate the cookies himself./ •/John knew that the family would go to the beach Saturday, but he held out on his brother./
