hammer
HA-muh
Hammer (noun) means a hand tool with a heavy head, used for driving nails, breaking things apart, or shaping metal. Example: “Use the claw end of the hammer to pull that bent nail out.”
noun
1
A hand tool with a heavy head, used for driving nails, breaking things apart, or shaping metal.
"Use the claw end of the hammer to pull that bent nail out."
"He grabbed a hammer and knocked the loose shelf back into place."
"The blacksmith shaped the glowing metal with quick blows of his hammer."
verb
1
To strike something repeatedly, whether with an actual hammer, a fist, or figuratively with words.
"Someone was hammering on the door so loudly that the dog started barking."
"She hammered the point home in every meeting until the team finally listened."
"Rain hammered against the windows all night."
2
To defeat someone decisively, or to put heavy strain on a system.
"Our rivals hammered us in the quiz, finishing with nearly double our score."
"The champions hammered their opponents 6-0."
"The new feature hammered the servers the moment it went live."
How to use hammer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA striking tool, or to strike/defeat something repeatedly and hard.
Common pairings
hammer a nail
hammer home a point
hammer the opposition
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- hammers
- Past tense
- hammered
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Use the claw end of the _____ to pull that bent nail out.
Etymology
From Old English hamor, from a Proto-Germanic word for a stone-headed tool, related to German Hammer and Dutch hamer.
Related words
Rhymes for hammer
See all rhymes for hammer →Frequently asked questions
What does “hammer” mean?
The word “hammer” means a hand tool with a heavy head, used for driving nails, breaking things apart, or shaping metal. In plain terms, a striking tool, or to strike/defeat something repeatedly and hard.
How do you pronounce “hammer”?
“Hammer” is pronounced HA-muh (/ˈhæmɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “hammer” in a sentence?
Here is “hammer” used in a sentence: “He grabbed a hammer and knocked the loose shelf back into place.”
What part of speech is “hammer”?
Depending on how it is used, “hammer” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “hammer” come from?
The word “hammer” comes from Old English. From Old English hamor, from a Proto-Germanic word for a stone-headed tool, related to German Hammer and Dutch hamer.
Is “hammer” a common word?
“Hammer” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “hammer” have?
“Hammer” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a hand tool with a heavy head, used for driving nails, breaking things apart, or shaping metal.
What is the difference between "hammer" as a noun and as a verb?
As a noun, "hammer" is the hand tool with a heavy head used to drive nails or shape metal. As a verb, "hammer" means to strike something repeatedly, whether with the tool, a fist, or figuratively with words.
What are common phrases using "hammer"?
Everyday expressions include "hammer out" a deal, meaning to work out details through hard effort, and "go at it hammer and tongs," meaning to argue or fight energetically. Both draw on the idea of forceful, repeated striking.
Can you "hammer" someone without using a tool?
Yes. The verb "hammer" often means to hit repeatedly with a fist, or figuratively to attack or criticise strongly, as in "critics hammered the film." No actual tool is needed.
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