hammer (ˈhæmə
)
Definitions
noun
- a hand tool consisting of a heavy usually steel head held transversely on the end of a handle, used for driving in nails, beating metal, etc
- any tool or device with a similar function, such as the moving part of a door knocker, the striking head on a bell, etc
- a power-driven striking tool, esp one used in forging. A pneumatic hammer delivers a repeated blow from a pneumatic ram, a drop hammer uses the energy of a falling weight
- a part of a gunlock that rotates about a fulcrum to strike the primer or percussion cap, either directly or via a firing pin
- athletics
- a heavy metal ball attached to a flexible wire: thrown in competitions
- the event or sport of throwing the hammer
- an auctioneer's gavel
- a device on a piano that is made to strike a string or group of strings causing them to vibrate
- anatomy the nontechnical name for malleus
- curling the last stone thrown in an end
- See go under the hammer
- See hammer and tongs
- See on someone's hammer
verb
- to strike or beat (a nail, wood, etc) with or as if with a hammer
- (tr) to shape or fashion with or as if with a hammer
- (tr; foll by in or into) to impress or force (facts, ideas, etc) into (someone) through constant repetition
- (intr) to feel or sound like hammering ⇒
his pulse was hammering
- (intr) away to work at constantly
- (tr) British
- to question in a relentless manner
- to criticize severely
- informal to inflict a defeat on
- (tr) slang to beat, punish, or chastise
- (tr) stock exchange
- to announce the default of (a member)
- to cause prices of (securities, the market, etc) to fall by bearish selling
Alternative Forms
ˈhammerer noun ˈhammer-ˌlike adjective Word Origin
Old English hamor; related to Old Norse hamarr crag, Old High German hamar hammer, Old Slavonic kamy stone
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
=
criticize,
condemn,
censure,
rebuke,
reprimand,
berate,
castigate,
admonish,
chastise,
pillory,
lambaste,
=
defeat,
beat,
thrash,
stuff,
master,
worst,
tank,
lick,
slate,
trounce,
clobber,
run rings around,
wipe the floor with blow out of the water
drub,
