ENGLISH
REFERENCE

hitch

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈhɪtʃ// UK //hˈɪtʃ// hitch Informal Slang

n. a small, unexpected problem that causes a short delay. It is usually something you can fix quickly.

n. a minor, temporary difficulty or obstruction that impedes progress. Often used to describe technical or logistical issues that are easily resolved.


SIMPLE

The party went well despite a small hitch with the music.

CONTEXTUAL

The product launch went smoothly, with the only hitch being a brief delay in the opening presentation.

COMPLEX

While the overall execution of the project was flawless, a minor technical hitch during the final phase required the engineers to work through the night to meet the deadline.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

Probably from Middle English hicchen, hytchen, icchen (“to move; to move as with a jerk”), of obscure origin. Lacks cognates in other languages. Compare itch, hike.

Usage

Commonly used in the phrase 'without a hitch' to mean that everything went perfectly.

Idioms2 entries

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