hammer

Universal Words noun, verb noun tool 1 [C] a tool with a handle and a heavy metal head, used for breaking things or hitting nails: (figurative) The decision is a hammer blow for the steel industry. * a gentle tap with a hammer * He struck her on the head with a hammer. seealsoSLEDGEHAMMER 2 [C] a tool with a handle and a wooden head, used by a person in charge of an AUCTION (= a sale at which things are sold to the person who offers the most money) in order to get people's attention: to come / go under the hammer (= to be sold at auction) * Forty modern Russian paintings went under the hammer at Christie's today. in piano 3 [C] a small wooden part inside a piano, that hits the strings to produce a sound in gun 4 [C] a part inside a gun that makes the gun fire sport 5 [C] a metal ball attached to a wire, thrown as a sport 6 (the hammer) [sing.] the event or sport of throwing the hammer IDIOMS hammer and tongs if two people are at it hammer and tongs or go at it hammer and tongs, they argue or fight with a lot of energy and noise: We could hear the neighbours going at it hammer and tongs. verb hit with tool 1 ~ sth (in / into / onto sth) to hit sth with a hammer: [V] I could hear somebody hammering next door. * [VN] She hammered the nail into the wall. * [VN-ADJ] He was hammering the sheet of copper flat. hit many times 2 to hit sth hard many times, especially so that it makes a loud noise: [V] 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. * [VN] He hammered the door with his fists. kick / hit ball 3 [VN] [usually +adv./prep.] (informal) to kick or hit a ball very hard: He hammered the ball into the net. defeat easily 4 [VN] (informal) to defeat sb very easily: Our team was hammered 5-1. PHRASALVERBS hammer away at sth to work hard in order to finish or achieve sth; to keep repeating sth in order to get the result that you want: She kept hammering away at that point all through the meeting. hammer sth<->home 1 to emphasize a point, an idea, etc. so that people fully understand it: The school tries to hammer home the importance of homework. 2 to kick a ball hard and score a goal: Beckham crossed the ball and Shearer hammered it home. hammer sth into sb to make sb learn or remember sth by repeating it many times hammer out sth 1 to discuss a plan, an idea, etc. until everyone agrees or a decision is made: to hammer out a compromise / deal 2 to play a tune, especially on a piano, loudly and not very well