Down as a hammer, adv. phr. (common).—1. Wide-awake; knowing (q.v.); fly (q.v.).
1819. Moore, Tom Crib, p. 45. To be down to anything is pretty much the same as being up to it, and down as a hammer is, of course, the intensivum of the phrase.
2. (colloquial).—Instant; peremptory; merciless. Cf., Like a thousand of bricks. Also To be down on . . . like a hammer.
At (or under) the hammer, adv. phr. (auctioneers').—For sale at auction.
That's the hammer, verb. phr. (colloquial).—An expression of approval or assent.
To be hammers to one, verb. phr. (colloquial.—To know what one means.
To hammer out (or into), verb. phr. (colloquial).—To be at pains to deceive; to reiterate; to force to hear.
1596. Ben Jonson, Every Man in his Humour, iii., 3. Now am I, for some five and fifty reasons, hammering, hammering revenge.
1719. Durfey, Pills, etc., iii., 23. If any Scholar be in doubt, And cannot well bring this matter about; The Blacksmith can hammer it out.
1888. J. McCarthy and Mrs. Campbell-Praed, The Ladies' Gallery, ch. i. I think the chaps that are always hammering on about repentance and atonement and forgiveness of sin have got hold of the wrong end.
Hammer-and-Tongs, adv. phr.
(common).—Very violently;
ding-dong.
1781. G. Parker, View of Society, II., 108. His master and mistress were at it hammer and tongs.
1833. Marryat, Peter Simple, ch. xxxv. Our ships were soon hard at it, hammer and tongs.
1837. Marryat, Snarleyow. Ods bobs! Hammer and Tongs! long as I've been to sea.
1861. H. Kingsley, Ravenshoe, ch. lx. Mr. Malone fell upon them hammer and tongs.
1862. M. E. Braddon, Lady Audley's Secret, ch. iv. 'I always said the old buffer would marry,' he muttered, after about half an hour's reverie. 'Alicia and my lady, the stepmother, will go at it hammer and tongs.
1884. Jas. Payn, Talk of the Town, ch. xx. Both parties went at it hammer and tongs, and hit one another anywhere and with anything.
Hammer-headed, adj. (common).
1. Oafish; stupid.
1600. Nashe, Summers Last Will (Grosart), vi., 169. A number of rude Vulcans, vnweldy speakers, hammer-headed clownes.
2. (colloquial).—Hammer-shaped: i.e., long and narrow in the head.
1865. Dickens, Our Mutual Friend i., 9. Mr. Boffin's equipage consisted of a long hammer-headed old horse, formerly used in the business . . . a driver being added in the person of a long hammer-headed young man.
Hammering, subs. (pugilistic and
colloquial).—1. A beating;
excessive punishment (q.v.).
2. (printers').—Over-charging time-work (as 'corrections').
Hammering-trade, subs. (pugilistic).—Pugilism.
1819. Moore, Tom Crib, p. 49. The other, vast, gigantic, as if made, express, by Nature for the hammering trade.
Hammersmith. To go to
Hammersmith, verb. phr. (common).—To
get a sound drubbing.
Hampered, adj. (old: now recognised).—Let
or hindered; perplexed;
entangled. [From Old.
Eng., hamper = a fetter: see
quot. 1613].
