hit the road Definition

hit
verb hit (past tense, past participle), hitting (present participle)

1. To strike someone or something.

Thesaurus: strike, belt, cudgel, cuff, club, flail, pelt, rap, slap, smite, pop, let have it (slang), whack (slang).
2. To come into forceful contact with something.
3. To reach a target with a blow, missile, etc.
4. To knock something (eg oneself or part of oneself) against something, especially hard or violently.

Example: hit one's head on the door
5. To affect suddenly and severely.

Example: The sad news hit her hard
intr
6. To strike or direct a blow.
7. colloq
To find or attain something, especially an answer, by chance
Example: You've hit it!
8. To reach or arrive at something.

Example: hit an all-time low
9. sport.
To drive (the ball) with a stroke of the bat.
10. colloq
To reach a place or location.
Example: We'll hit the city tomorrow

noun

1. A stroke or blow.

Thesaurus: impact, collision, blow, bump, knock, punch, smack, stroke, swipe, wallop.
2. sport.
A successful stroke or shot.
3. colloq
Something of extreme popularity or success.
Example: The new cinema is a real hit
Thesaurus: success, triumph, achievement, masterstroke, winner, knockout (slang), sellout, smash, sensation; Antonym: flop, dud.
4. An effective remark, eg a sarcasm or witticism.
5. slang
A murder, especially one by organized gangs.
6. drug-taking slang
A shot of a hard drug.

Idiom: hard hit

See under hard.

Idiom: hit it off with someone

To get on well with them.

Idiom: hit it up

drug-taking slang
To inject a drug.

Idiom: hit the bottle

See under bottle.

Idiom: hit the ceiling (hit the roof)

To be extremely angry.

Idiom: hit the hay (hit the sack)

slang
To go to bed.

Idiom: hit the nail on the head

See under nail.

Idiom: hit the road

To leave or depart.

Idiom: make a hit with someone (score a hit with someone)

To be successful or popular with them.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon hittan.

Phrasal Verb: hit at someone

To direct a blow, sarcasm, jibe, attack, etc at them.

Phrasal Verb: hit back

To retaliate.

Phrasal Verb: hit someone or something off

To imitate, mimic, or aptly describe them or it.

Phrasal Verb: hit on or upon someone

To come upon or discover them or it; to single them or it out.To make sexual advances towards them.

Phrasal Verb: hit out at or against someone or something

To attack them or it physically or verbally.

---

road
noun

1. An open way, usually specially surfaced or paved, for people, vehicles or animals to travel on from one place to another. Also as adj.

Example: road traffic
Thesaurus: route, street, avenue, boulevard, drive, lane, path, highway, freeway, thoroughfare.
2. A route or course.

Example: the road to ruin
3. naut.
A relatively sheltered area of water near the shore where ships may be anchored.
Form: roads (usually)
Form: roadstead (also)
(chiefly US)
4. A railway.
5. A passage in a mine.

Derivative: roadless
adj

Idiom: be in someone's or something's road (get in someone's or something's road)

colloq
To obstruct or hinder them or it.
Example: His attitude towards women got in the road of his promotion

Idiom: hit the road

To leave; to depart.

Idiom: one for the road

A final, usually alcoholic, drink before leaving.

Idiom: on the road

Travelling from place to place, especially as a commercial traveller, a musician on tour or a tramp.

Idiom: take the road

To depart; to set off.

Idiom: take to the road

To become a tramp.

To set off for or travel to somewhere.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon rad, related to ride.