ham·mer

noun

/ˈhæmə(r)/

/ˈhæmər/

Idioms

tool

enlarge image

[countable] a tool with a handle and a heavy metal head, used for breaking things or hitting nails锤子；榔头

a gentle tap with a hammer用锤子轻轻敲击
He struck her on the head with a hammer.他用锤子敲击她的头部。

see also claw hammer, jackhammer, sledgehammer

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + hammer

hit something with
tap something with
use
…

hammer + noun

blow

phrases

a hammer and chisel
a hammer and nails
hammer and sickle
…

[countable] 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 when something is just being sold（拍卖用的）木槌 synonym gavel

to come/go under the hammer (= to be sold at auction)被拍卖
Forty modern Russian paintings went under the hammer at Christie’s today.今天，四十幅俄罗斯现代画作在佳士得拍卖行拍卖。

in piano

[countable] a small wooden part inside a piano, that hits the strings to produce a sound音槌

in gun

[countable] a part inside a gun that makes the gun fire击铁

sport

[countable] a metal ball attached to a wire, thrown as a sport链球Topics Sports: other sportsc2

enlarge image

often the hammer

[singular] the event or sport of throwing the hammer掷链球（运动）

in ear

[countable] (anatomy) the first of three small bones in the middle ear that carry sound to the inner ear中耳三块小骨头中的第一块，将声音传送到内耳 synonym malleusTopics Bodyc2

Word OriginOld English hamor, hamer, of Germanic origin: related to Dutch hamer, German Hammer, and Old Norse hamarr ‘rock’. The original sense was probably ‘stone tool’.

Idioms

hammer and tongs

(informal) 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激烈争吵（或打斗）
- We could hear the neighbours going at it hammer and tongs.我们可以听到邻居们用锤子和钳子敲打它。
Topics Opinion and argumentc2

ham·mer

verb

/ˈhæmə(r)/

/ˈhæmər/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they hammer	/ˈhæmə(r)/ /ˈhæmər/
he / she / it hammers	/ˈhæməz/ /ˈhæmərz/
past simple hammered	/ˈhæməd/ /ˈhæmərd/
past participle hammered	/ˈhæməd/ /ˈhæmərd/
-ing form hammering	/ˈhæmərɪŋ/ /ˈhæmərɪŋ/

Phrasal Verbs

hit with tool

[intransitive, transitive] to hit something with a hammer（用锤子）敲，锤打

I could hear somebody hammering next door.我听到隔壁有人在锤打东西。
hammer something (in/into/onto something) She hammered the nail into the wall.她把钉子钉到墙上。
hammer something + adj. He was hammering the sheet of copper flat.他正把铜片锤平。
The swords are then hammered into shape.然后将剑锤打成型。

hit many times

[intransitive, transitive] to hit something hard many times, especially so that it makes a loud noise反复敲打，连续击打（尤指发出大声） synonym pound

Someone was hammering at the door.有人在砰砰地打门。
Hail was hammering down onto the roof.冰雹砸得屋顶咚咚响。
(figurative) I was so scared my heart was hammering (= beating very fast) in my chest.我吓得心怦怦直跳。
hammer something He hammered the door with his fists.他不断地用拳头擂门。

Synonyms beatbeatbatter ▪ pound ▪ lash ▪ hammerThese words all mean to hit somebody/something many times, especially hard.beat to hit somebody/something a lot of times, especially very hard:

Someone was beating at the door.有人在打门。
A young man was found beaten to death last night.昨天夜里有人发现一名小伙子被打死了。
At that time, children were often beaten for quite minor offences (= as a punishment).那时候孩子们常常因为很小的过错而捱打。

batter to hit somebody/something hard a lot of times, especially in way that causes serious injury or damage:

He had been badly battered around the head and face.他被打得鼻青脸肿。
Severe winds have been battering the coast.狂风一直在海岸肆虐。

pound to hit somebody/something hard a lot of times, especially in a way that makes a lot of noise:

Heavy rain pounded on the roof.暴雨𠳐𠳐地砸在屋顶上。

lash to hit somebody/something with a lot of force:

The rain lashed at the window.雨点猛烈地打在窗户上。

The subject of lash is often rain, wind, hail, sea or waves.hammer to hit somebody/something hard a lot of times, in a way that is noisy or violent:

He hammered the door with his fists.他不断地用拳头擂门。

pound or hammer?There is not much difference in meaning between these two, but to pound is sometimes a steadier action. To hammer can be more violent and it is often used figuratively.Patterns

to beat/batter/pound/lash/hammer somebody/something with something
to beat/batter/pound/lash/hammer against something
to beat/batter/pound/hammer on something
to beat/batter/hammer something down
the rain/wind/sea beats/batters/pounds/lashes (at) something

kick/hit ball

[transitive] hammer something (+ adv./prep.) (informal) to kick or hit a ball very hard猛踢；猛击

He hammered the ball into the net.他一记猛射，将球踢进网。

defeat easily

[transitive] hammer somebody (informal) to defeat somebody very easily轻易击败

Our team was hammered 5–1.我队以 1:5 的悬殊比分败北。

affect badly

[transitive] hammer somebody/something (informal) to affect somebody/something very badly重创；严重打击

Eastern counties were brutally hammered by the weekend flooding.东部各县在周末的洪水中受灾惨重。

Word OriginOld English hamor, hamer, of Germanic origin: related to Dutch hamer, German Hammer, and Old Norse hamarr ‘rock’. The original sense was probably ‘stone tool’.