The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  high-wire act A risky job or operation, as in The university press is not allowed to either make or lose money—that’s a high-wire act. This expression alludes to the aerialist performing on a tightrope stretched high above the ground. [Colloquial; mid-1900s]

  hike → See TAKE A HIKE.

  hill → See DOWNHILL ALL THE WAY; GO DOWNHILL; HEAD FOR (THE HILLS); MAKE A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLEHILL; NOT WORTH A DAMN (HILL OF BEANS); OLD AS ADAM (THE HILLS); OVER THE HILL.

  hilt → See TO THE HILT.

  hindmost → See DEVIL TAKE THE HINDMOST.

  hinge on Also, hinge upon. Depend or be contingent on, as in This plan hinges on her approval. This expression employs the verb hinge in the sense of “to hang,” as a door would hang on a hinge, a usage dating from the early 1700s.

  hint → See TAKE A HINT.

  hip → See JOINED AT THE HIP; SHOOT FROM THE HIP.

  hired gun 1. A person, especially a professional killer, employed to kill someone, as in They thought the murder had been done by a hired gun. The noun gun has been slang for a professional criminal since the mid-1800s. 2. A person with special knowledge or expertise who is employed to resolve a complex problem. For example, The legal team was looking for a hired gun to handle the antitrust angle of the case. [Slang; 1960s]

  hired hand Also, hired man or girl. A person engaged to assist with farm or domestic chores, as in We need extra hired hands during the harvest, or She was looking for a hired girl to do the laundry. This use of hired dates from the 1200s and referred to someone employed for wages as opposed to a slave or serf. The use of girl now may be offensive.

  hire out Obtain work; also, grant the services or temporary use of for a fee, as in He hired out as a cook, or They hired out the cottage for the summer. [Second half of 1700s]

  history → See ANCIENT HISTORY; GO DOWN (IN HISTORY); MAKE HISTORY; REPEAT ONESELF (HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF).

  hit → In addition to the idioms beginning with HIT, also see (HIT) BELOW THE BELT; CAN’T HIT THE BROAD SIDE OF A BARN; HEAVY HITTER; MAKE A HIT; NOT KNOW WHAT HIT ONE; PINCH HITTER; SHIT WILL HIT THE FAN; SMASH HIT.

  hit a brick wall → See under RUN INTO A STONE WALL.

  hit a snag Encounter a problem or obstacle. For example, We’ve hit a snag with this building project. The noun snag has been used in the sense of “a sharp or rough projection,” such as would impede passage, since the 1500s.

  hit below the belt → See BELOW THE BELT.

  hit between the eyes Make someone suddenly aware of something, have a sudden impact on. For example, News of their divorce hit me right between the eyes. [Colloquial; early 1900s]

  hit bottom Also, touch bottom. Reach the worst or lowest point. For example, When he lost his job again they knew they had hit bottom, or When wheat prices touch bottom, the farmers will be up in arms. [Second half of 1800s]

  hitch a ride Also, thumb a ride. Solicit a free ride, especially by hitchhiking. For example, I’ve no car; can I hitch a ride home with you? or He was hoping to thumb a ride to the stadium. The verb hitch here alludes to walking unevenly, presumably to hop into a car or truck; raising one’s thumb is the traditional signal for stopping a car on the road. [First half of 1900s]

  hitch one’s wagon to a star Aim high, as in Bill’s hitching his wagon to a star—he plans to be a partner by age thirty. This metaphoric expression was invented by essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson in 1870.

  hither and thither Also, hither and yon. Here and there, as in I’ve been wandering about, hither and thither, or Ruth went hither and yon, searching for her sister. These old words for “here” and “there” are rarely heard outside these expressions, which themselves may be dying out. [c. A.D. 725]

  hit home → See under CLOSE TO HOME.

  hit it big Score a major success, especially a profit, as in Some investors hit it big in the stock market. The adverb big here means “with great success.” [Slang; late 1800s]

  hit it off Get along well together, as in I was so glad that our parents hit it off. In the 17th century this phrase was put simply as hit it, the adverb off being added only in the mid-1800s.

  hit on 1. Also, hit upon. Discover, happen to find, as in I’ve hit upon a solution to this problem. [c. 1700] 2. Make sexual advances to someone, especially unwanted ones, as in You can’t go into that bar without being hit on. [Slang; mid-1900s]

  hit on all cylinders → See FIRE ON ALL CYLINDERS.

  hit one’s stride 1. Achieve a steady, effective pace, as in After the first few laps around the track he hit his stride. This expression comes from horse racing, stride alluding to the regular pace of the horse. [Early 1900s] 2. Attain a maximum level of competence, as in Jack didn’t really hit his stride until he started college. [First half of 1900s]

  hit one where one lives → See under CLOSE TO HOME.

  hit or miss Haphazardly, at random. For example, She took dozens of photos, hit or miss, hoping that some would be good. [c. 1600]

  hit out Make a violent verbal or physical attack; also, strike aimlessly. For example, The star hit out at the press for their lukewarm reviews, or The therapist said patients often hit out in frustration. [First half of 1800s]

  hit parade A listing of the most popular or best items or individuals of some kind, as in The library has a veritable hit parade of videos. This expression dates from the 1930s, when it was the name of a weekly radio show featuring the most popular songs as indicated by record sales.

  hit the books Study with concentrated effort, as in At exam time we all hit the books. [Slang; first half of 1900s]

  hit the bottle Also, hit the booze or sauce. Drink alcoholic beverages, especially a great deal, as in I don’t know if it will be a problem, but he hits the bottle every weekend, or She hardly ever hits the booze, but when she does, watch out, or It doesn’t show in her work, but she hits the sauce every night. These slangy expressions date from the late 1800s and early 1900s.

  hit the bricks Go out on strike, as in The union voted to hit the bricks as soon as their contract expired. [Slang; 1940s]

  hit the bull’s-eye Also, hit the mark or the nail on the head. Be absolutely right, as in Your remark about finances hit the bull’s-eye, or Jane hit the mark with her idea for shuffling personnel, or The governor’s speech on attracting new businesses hit the nail on the head. The round black center of a target has been called a bull’s-eye since the 17th century; mark similarly alludes to a target; and the analogy to driving home a nail by hitting it on its head dates from the 16th century. Also see OFF THE MARK.

  hit the ceiling Also, hit the roof. Explode in anger, as in Jane hit the ceiling when she saw her grades, or Dad hit the roof when he didn’t get his usual bonus. The first expression dates from the early 1900s; the second is a version of a 16th-century locution, up in the house roof or house-top, meaning “enraged.”

  hit the deck Also, hit the dirt. Fall to the ground, usually for protection. For example, As the planes approached, we hit the deck, or We heard shooting and hit the dirt. In the early 1900s the first expression was nautical slang for “jump out of bed,” or “wake up,” and somewhat later, “get going.” The current meaning dates from the 1920s.

  hit the fan → See SHIT WILL HIT THE FAN.

  hit the ground running Seize an opportunity; begin at full speed. For example, As soon as the front office gave its approval for the new department, we hit the ground running. The origin of this term is disputed. It may come from troops dropped into a combat zone, from stowaways jumping off a freight train as it nears the station, or from Pony Express riders avoiding delay when they changed mounts.

  hit the hay Also, hit the sack. Go to bed, as in I usually hit the hay after the eleven o’clock news, or I’m tired, let’s hit the sack. The first colloquial expression dates from the early 1900s, the variant from about 1940.

  hit the high spots Also, hit the high points. Pay attention only to the most important places or parts. For example, We only had a week in New York, but we managed to hit the high spots,
or His speech was brief, but he hit all the high points. This idiom alludes to running a dustcloth or paintbrush over an uneven surface and touching only the raised portions. [c. 1900]

  hit the jackpot Be highly successful, especially unexpectedly; win, especially a lot of money. For example, She hit the jackpot at the auction; that platter turned out to be genuine Meissen. This term comes from a form of poker in which a hand can be opened only if one holds at least a pair of jacks (or higher). Often a number of hands must be dealt before anyone can open, and since players must put in money for each round, the jackpot, or total amount held, is apt to be quite large. [Early 1900s]

  hit the mark → See HIT THE BULL’S-EYE.

  hit the nail on the head → See HIT THE BULL’S-EYE.

  hit the right note → See STRIKE THE RIGHT NOTE.

  hit the road Also, hit the trail. Set out, as on a trip. For example, Come on, it’s time to hit the road, or Jack hit the trail at dawn. [Late 1800s]

  hit the roof → See HIT THE CEILING.

  hit the sack → See HIT THE HAY.

  hit the spot Give total satisfaction, as in This beer really hits the spot. This expression gained enormous currency with a 1930s advertising jingle, in which a popular soda was said to hit the spot. [Slang; mid-1800s] Also see STRIKE THE RIGHT NOTE.

  hit up for Ask for a loan or favor, as in He hit me up for ten bucks, or I hit Doug up for a job. [Slang; early 1900s]

  hit upon → See HIT ON.

  Hobson’s choice An apparently free choice that actually offers no alternative. For example, My dad said if I wanted the car I could have it tonight or not at all—that’s Hobson’s choice. This expression alludes to Thomas Hobson of Cambridge, England, who rented horses and allowed each customer to take only the horse nearest the stable door. [Mid-1600s]

  hoe → See TOUGH ROW TO HOE.

  hog → See GO HOG WILD; GO WHOLE HOG; HIGH OFF THE HOG; ROAD HOG.

  hold → In addition to the idioms beginning with HOLD, also see (HOLD) AT BAY; BEAR (HOLD) A GRUDGE; GET HOLD OF; HANG ON TO (HOLD) YOUR HAT; HAVE A HOLD OVER; LAY HOLD OF; LEAVE HOLDING THE BAG; NO HOLDS BARRED; ON HOLD; (HOLD THE) PURSE STRINGS; STAND (HOLD) ONE’S GROUND; TAKE HOLD.

  hold a candle to, not Also, not fit to or cannot hold a candle to. Be inferior to someone or something, as in This hotel can’t hold a candle to the Palace, or This new friend of his is not fit to hold a candle to his former buddies. This expression was already a proverb in John Heywood’s collection of 1546 and alludes to holding a candle to provide light for someone, at that time considered a menial chore.

  hold against Think badly of someone because of some fault or occurrence. For example, Even if you’re late, I won’t hold it against you, or She backed right into his new car, so he’s bound to hold it against her. Also see BEAR A GRUDGE.

  hold a grudge → See BEAR A GRUDGE.

  hold a gun to someone’s head Exert pressure on someone, as in How could I refuse when she was holding a gun to my head? This hyperbolic expression dates from the first half of the 1900s. Also see AT GUNPOINT; HOLD SOMEONE’S FEET TO THE FIRE.

  hold all the aces Also, hold all the trumps. Be in a winning position, as in We can’t argue with Jeff; he holds all the aces, or If Jean refuses, he’ll reveal that he holds all the trumps and force her to give in. These expressions allude to card games in which the ace or a trump card outranks all the others. Also see PLAY ONE’S CARDS RIGHT; TRUMP CARD.

  hold at bay → See AT BAY.

  hold back Also, keep back. 1. Retain in one’s possession or control, as in He held back vital information, or I managed to keep back my tears. [First half of 1500s] 2. Restrain oneself, as in She held back from joining the others, or I wanted to denounce him right there, but I kept back for fear of making a scene. The first usage dates from the second half of the 1500s, the variant from the early 1800s. 3. Impede the progress of, as in The barriers held back traffic during the funeral procession, or Her daughter was kept back and had to repeat first grade.

  hold court Be surrounded by and command the attention of admirers, subordinates, or hangers-on. For example, After a match Judy generally held court in the locker room. This expression alludes to royalty convening courtiers as well as a judge convening a court of law.

  hold down 1. Also, keep down. Limit, restrain, as in Please hold down the noise. [First half of 1500s] Also see KEEP DOWN. 2. Work at or discharge one’s duties satisfactorily, as in He managed to hold down two jobs at the same time. [Colloquial; late 1800s]

  hold everything Also, hold it. Stop, wait. These expressions are usually used in the imperative, as in Hold everything, we can’t unload the truck yet, or Hold it, you’ve gone far enough. [First half of 1900s]

  hold forth Speak in public, especially at great length. For example, Barbara loved to hold forth on the latest discoveries in astronomy. [Second half of 1600s]

  hold good Also, hold true. Be valid, apply. For example, Does that version of events still hold good? or The account he gave ten years ago holds true today. Shakespeare used these terms frequently. [c. 1300]

  hold it → See HOLD EVERYTHING.

  hold no brief for Refuse to support, dislike, as in I hold no brief for liars. This term is a negative version of the legal expression hold a brief for, meaning “to support or defend a position by argument.” The noun brief has been used in this way since the 1200s.

  hold off 1. Keep at a distance, resist, delay, as in This payment should hold off the creditors. [Early 1400s] 2. Stop or delay from action, as in Let’s hold off until we know more. [c. 1600]

  hold on 1. Also, hold on to. Maintain one’s grip, cling, as in Hold on to your hat in this wind, or The early Christians held on to their beliefs despite strong opposition. [Early 1500s] 2. Continue to do something, persist, as in Please hold on for a while longer. [Late 1800s] 3. Stop, wait, as in Hold on! We can’t go past this gate. [Mid-1800s] 4. Remain on a telephone line, as in If you can hold on a minute I’ll go and find her. [Late 1800s]

  hold one’s breath 1. Be excited, anxious, or nervous. For example, The election was so close that I held my breath until the final results were in, or I’m holding my breath until everyone’s been heard from. This expression alludes to the interruption of normal breathing; the literal usage dates from the early 1700s. 2. not hold one’s breath. An expression used to mean one is not awaiting something, as in I’m hoping to hear if I got the job, but I’m not holding my breath. It often is put as an imperative, don’t hold your breath, meaning “don’t expect it, it’s not likely,” as in They may get married this summer, but don’t hold your breath. This expression in effect implies it is unwise to stop breathing until a particular event occurs, since it may never come to pass. [Slang; mid-1900s]

  hold one’s end up Also, keep one’s end up. Do one’s share. For example, John always holds his end up, but Jerry is less reliable, or Let’s hope she can keep up her end. In these expressions end alludes to one of two sides of something that must be lifted by two persons. [Mid-1900s]

  hold one’s fire Refrain from comment or criticism, especially for the time being. For example, Hold your fire, Jim, she’s not finished yet, or Nancy decided to hold her fire until she had more information. This expression alludes to refraining from shooting a gun and originated in the military.

  hold one’s head high Also, hold one’s head up; hold up one’s head. Behave proudly; maintain one’s dignity. For example, After the bankruptcy Mr. Jones still held his head high, or Grandma told Brian he could hold his head up because he’d tried extremely hard, or After that newspaper article, I’m not sure I’ll ever hold up my head again. All these expressions allude to a posture of pride. [Second half of 1500s]

  hold one’s horses Slow down, be patient, as in Dad told Kevin to hold his horses on Christmas shopping, since it was only July, or Hold your horses, I’m coming. This expression alludes to a driver making horses wait by holding the reins tightly. [Slang; c. 1840]

  hold one’s own Do reasonably well despite opposit
ion, competition, or criticism. For example, The team held its own against their opponents, or Rumors often hold their own against facts. [First half of 1300s]

  hold one’s peace → See under HOLD ONE’S TONGUE.

  hold one’s temper Also, keep one’s temper. Refrain from expressing violent anger, maintain composure or poise. For example, Billy has to learn to hold his temper when he’s frustrated, or If the chairman can keep his temper, the matter will get settled. [c. 1700] For an antonym, see LOSE ONE’S TEMPER.

  hold one’s tongue Also, hold or keep one’s peace. Keep quiet, remain silent, as in If you don’t hold your tongue you’ll have to go outside, or Jenny kept her peace about the wedding. The idiom with tongue uses hold in the sense of “restrain,” while the others use hold and keep in the sense of “preserve.” Chaucer used the first idiom in The Tale of Melibus (c. 1387): “Thee is better hold thy tongue still, than for to speak.” The variant appears in the traditional wedding service, telling anyone who knows that a marriage should not take place to “speak now or forever hold your peace.” [First half of 1300s] Also see KEEP QUIET.

  hold on to → See HOLD ON, def. 1.

  hold on to your hat → See HANG ON TO YOUR HAT.

  hold out 1. Extend, stretch forth; also, present or offer something. For example, He held out his hand and she took it, or The new policy held out promise of major changes in the welfare program. These usages date from the first half of the 1500s and of the 1600s respectively. 2. Last, continue to be in supply or service, as in The food is holding out nicely. [Late 1500s] Also see HOLD UP, def. 4. 3. Continue to resist, as in The garrison held our for another month. [Second half of 1700s] 4. Withhold cooperation, agreement, or information, as in We’ve asked for a better deal, but they’ve been holding out for months. It is also put as hold out on, as in They were still holding out on some of the provisions, or He’s not telling us what happened; he’s holding out on us. 5. hold out for. Insist on obtaining, as in The union is still holding out for a better contract. [c. 1900]