hit the hay — to go to bed; to go to sleep
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: to go to bed; to go to sleep
Pronunciation (IPA): /hɪt ðə heɪ/
Example Sentences
- After studying for 12 hours straight, Sarah decided to hit the hay before her brain turned into actual hay.
- The boss works so late that his employees joke he must hit the hay at the office.
- I have an early meeting tomorrow, so I should hit the hay now.
hit the hay
NOUN[/hɪt ðə heɪ/]
to go to bed; to go to sleep
After a long farm day, grandpa is ready to hit the hay early tonight.
After a long day, it's time to hit the hay this way!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This phrase originated from rural American farming practices in the early 1900s, when farm workers would sleep on hay mattresses or hay-filled bedding. The expression 'hit the hay' literally referred to throwing oneself onto hay for sleep and became a colloquial way to say 'go to bed' in American English.
Breakdown
hit (strike, throw oneself) + the hay (dried grass used for bedding) — originally a literal description of the physical action of lying down on a hay mattress, later extended metaphorically to mean 'go to sleep' or 'retire for the night'.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“After studying for 12 hours straight, Sarah decided to hit the hay before her brain turned into actual hay.”
“The boss works so late that his employees joke he must hit the hay at the office.”
“I have an early meeting tomorrow, so I should hit the hay now.”
“Kids, it's 9 PM - time to hit the hay!”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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