Collins English-English Dictionary

hammer ['hæmə]

1. 1. n 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

2. 2. n any tool or device with a similar function, such as the moving part of a door knocker, the striking head on a bell, etc

3. 3. n 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

4. 4. n a part of a gunlock that rotates about a fulcrum to strike the primer or percussion cap, either directly or via a firing pin

5. 5. n [athletics] a heavy metal ball attached to a flexible wire: thrown in competitions

6. 6. n the event or sport of throwing the hammer

7. 7. n an auctioneer's gavel

8. 8. n a device on a piano that is made to strike a string or group of strings causing them to vibrate

9. 9. n the nontechnical name for malleus

10. 10. n [anatomy] [curling] the last stone thrown in an end

11. 11. vb to strike or beat (a nail, wood, etc) with or as if with a hammer

12. 12. vt. [tr] to shape or fashion with or as if with a hammer

13. 13. vt. [tr; foll by in or into] to impress or force (facts, ideas, etc) into (someone) through constant repetition

14. 14. vi. [intr] to feel or sound like hammering

    his pulse was hammering

15. 15. vi. [intr; often foll by away] to work at constantly

16. 16. vt. [tr] [Brit] to question in a relentless manner

17. 17. vt. to criticize severely

18. 18. vt. [Spoken] to inflict a defeat on

19. 19. vt. [tr] [Slang] to beat, punish, or chastise

20. 20. vt. [tr] [stock exchange] to announce the default of (a member)

21. 21. vt. to cause prices of (securities, the market, etc) to fall by bearish selling

22. 22. vt. See also hammer out

23. 23. vt. [Etymology] Old English hamor; related to Old Norse hamarr crag, Old High German hamar hammer, Old Slavonic kamy stone