# bring down the hammer

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/bring-down-the-hammer
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To treat very harshly.

## Examples

- The boss will bring down the hammer if you are late again.
- After the team missed the deadline for the third time, the manager decided to bring down the hammer on everyone involved.
- The regulatory agency finally brought down the hammer on the corporation, imposing massive fines for their long-standing history of environmental negligence.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.