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hit the road — to leave or start a journey; to begin traveling

Part of speech: VERB

Definition: to leave or start a journey; to begin traveling

Pronunciation (IPA): /hɪt ðə roʊd/

Example Sentences

  • We need to hit the road by 6 AM to avoid traffic.
  • The boss told me to hit the road after I accidentally sent a cat meme to all clients.
  • After graduation, many students hit the road to explore the world.

hit the road

VERB

[/hɪt ðə roʊd/]

to leave or start a journey; to begin traveling

Time to hit the road before the sun gets too high!
💡 Concept

Time to hit the road before the sun gets too high!

Fit the code, quit the mode, then hit the road!
🎵 Rhyme

Fit the code, quit the mode, then hit the road!

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🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/hɪt ðə roʊd/
🇬🇧 UK/hɪt ðə rəʊd/

🌳Etymology

Origin

This phrase emerged in early 20th-century America with the proliferation of automobiles. The expression evolved from the literal sense of 'striking the road' to mean 'setting out on a journey' or 'departing,' reflecting the cultural shift toward automobile travel and road-based mobility.

Breakdown

hit (strike, set upon) + the (definite article) + road (pathway, route) = to embark on a journey or depart for travel.

🎵Rhyme

hit the load
fit the code
quit the mode

🔗Collocations

time to hit the road
let's hit the road
hit the road early
hit the road running
ready to hit the road

📝Examples

“We need to hit the road by 6 AM to avoid traffic.”

😄 Fun example

“The boss told me to hit the road after I accidentally sent a cat meme to all clients.”

“After graduation, many students hit the road to explore the world.”

😄 Fun example

“My GPS kept saying 'hit the road' but I was already driving - apparently it was broken!”

📚Related Words

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