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Definition of hammer verb from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

     

    hammer

     verb
    verb
    NAmE//ˈhæmər//
     
    Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they hammer
     
     he / she / it hammers
     
     past simple hammered
     
     -ing form hammering
     
     
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    hit with tool
  1. 1[intransitive, transitive] to hit something with a hammer I could hear someone hammering next door. hammer something (in/into/onto something) She hammered the nail into the wall. hammer something + adj. He was hammering the sheet of copper flat.
    2. hit many times
  2. 2[intransitive, transitive] to hit something hard many times, especially so that it makes a loud noise synonym pound Someone was hammering at the door. Hail was hammering down onto the roof. (figurative) I was so scared my heart was hammering (= beating very fast) in my chest. hammer something He hammered the door with his fists. Thesaurusbeat
    • batter
    • pound
    • lash
    • hammer
    These words all mean to hit someone or something many times, especially hard.
    • beat to hit someone or something many times, especially very hard:Someone was beating at the door. A young man was found beaten to death last night. At that time, children were often beaten for quite minor offenses (= as a punishment).
    • batter to hit someone or something hard many times, especially in a way that causes serious damage:He was badly battered about the head and face. Severe winds are battering the coast.
    • pound to hit someone or something hard many times, especially in a way that makes a lot of noise:Heavy rain pounded on the roof. She pounded on the table with her fist.
    • lash to hit someone or something with great force:The rain lashed at the window. The subject of lash is often rain, wind, hail, sea, or waves.
    • hammer to hit someone or something hard many times, in a way that is noisy or violent:He hammered at the lock, but it would not open. (figurative)She hammered him with difficult questions.
    pound or hammer?
    • There is not much difference in meaning between these two, but to pound is sometimes a steadier action. To hammer can be more violent and it is often used figuratively.
    Patterns
    • to beat/batter/pound/lash/hammer somebody/something with something
    • to beat/batter/pound/lash/hammer against something
    • to beat/batter/pound/hammer on something
    • to beat/batter/hammer something down
    • the rain/wind/sea beats/batters/pounds/lashes (at) something
    3. kick/hit ball
  3. 3[transitive] hammer something (+ adv./prep.) (informal) to kick or hit a ball very hard He hammered the ball into the net.
    4. defeat easily
  4. 4[transitive] hammer somebody (informal) to defeat someone very easily Our team was hammered 5–1.
    5. Phrasal Verbshammer away athammer homehammer intohammer out
See hammer in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Check pronunciation: hammer

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