hammer

A tool with a heavy head and a handle, used to hit nails or other objects.

• Pass me the hammer, please.
• She used a hammer to fix the shelf.
• Two hammers lay beside the toolbox.

Common phrases: a heavy hammer, claw hammer, hammer and nails

A moving part of a gun that hits another part to make the gun fire.

• The gun's hammer was broken.
• He pulled back the hammer of the revolver.
• The hammer struck the firing pin.

Common phrases: cock the hammer, gun hammer, hammer falls

A hit made with a heavy tool used for driving nails.

• That nail needs a hammer.
• He gave the bent metal a hard hammer.
• One more hammer pushed the nail into place.

How to use it: give something a hammer (Give that loose nail a hammer.)

Similar words: blow, hit

Common phrases: give something a hammer, a hard hammer

A small bone in the middle ear that helps carry sound.

• The hammer is a tiny ear bone.
• Vibrations pass from the eardrum to the hammer.
• Damage to the hammer can affect hearing.

Similar words: malleus

Common phrases: the ear's hammer, hammer and anvil

To hit a nail with a heavy tool so it goes into wood or another surface.

• He hammered the nail in.
• We hammered nails into the wooden boards.
• Be careful when hammering near your fingers.

How to use it: hammer something into something (She hammered a nail into the wall.)

Similar words: drive, pound

Common phrases: hammer a nail, hammer something into something, hammer nails in

To hit something hard many times, with a tool, your fist, or something else.

• She hammered on the door.
• Rain hammered against the windows all night.
• The worker hammered the metal flat.

How to use it: hammer on something (Someone was hammering on the front door.); hammer at something (He hammered at the metal with a heavy tool.)

Similar words: pound, batter, beat

Common phrases: hammer on something, hammer at something, hammer something flat

To beat or knock strongly inside something, often making repeated sounds.

• His heart hammered with fear.
• The engine's valves were hammering loudly.
• I felt my pulse hammering in my ears.

How to use it: hammer in something (Her heart hammered in her chest.)

Similar words: pound, throb, knock

Common phrases: hammer with fear, hammer inside something, hammer in something