ENGLISH
REFERENCE

hit the road

idiom
Meaning

To begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle.


Origin

disputed origin

Compare typologically Russian уда́риться в бега́ (udáritʹsja v begá), уда́рить по та́пкам (udáritʹ po tápkam), тро́нуться (trónutʹsja).

Examples
SIMPLE

We finished breakfast and hit the road.

CONTEXTUAL

The family packed their bags early so they could hit the road before the traffic got bad.

COMPLEX

With the sun barely above the horizon and the car loaded with supplies, the travelers hit the road, eager to leave the city behind and reach the coast by nightfall.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    bump in the road

    A setback or obstacle, especially one which is relatively minor.

  2. 02

    don't let the door hit you on the way out

    Used as a command to leave in haste, or to indicate that one is glad, or at least unmoved, to see the addressed person leaving.

  3. 03

    down the road, not across the street

    Of the technique for committing suicide, along the radial artery rather than across the wrist from side to side.

  4. 04

    fall out of the ugly tree and hit every branch

    To become extremely unattractive.

  5. 05

    frog

    [Cockney slang]road

  6. 06

    get the show on the road

    To begin or launch; to get going.

  7. 07

    go down that road

    To settle a way of doing something; do decide to do something in a particular way.

  8. 08

    go down the road

    To employ a way of doing something; to do something in a particular way.

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