hit the waves — to go surfing or swimming in the ocean
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: to go surfing or swimming in the ocean
Pronunciation (IPA): /hɪt ðə weɪvz/
Example Sentences
- My surf instructor said 'Time to hit the waves!' but I hit the sand instead.
- After months of practice, she was finally ready to hit the waves like a pro.
- Every morning at 6 AM, the local surfers hit the waves before work.
hit the waves
NOUN[/hɪt ðə weɪvz/]
to go surfing or swimming in the ocean

to go surfing or swimming in the ocean

Only the brave hit the waves to save!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This phrase combines two Old English elements: 'hit' derives from Old English 'hittan', meaning 'to strike or attack', while 'waves' comes from Old English 'wæfan', meaning 'to move back and forth or undulate'. The modern colloquial sense of 'hit the waves'—meaning to go surfing—developed in 20th-century surf culture, reinterpreting the literal action of striking or entering the moving water.
Breakdown
hit (Old English 'hittan': to strike) + the (definite article) + waves (Old English 'wæfan': to wave or undulate, + -es plural suffix). The phrase literally means 'to strike the undulating masses of water', semantically extended to mean 'to go surfing'.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My surf instructor said 'Time to hit the waves!' but I hit the sand instead.”
“After months of practice, she was finally ready to hit the waves like a pro.”
“Every morning at 6 AM, the local surfers hit the waves before work.”
“He bought a new surfboard and couldn't wait to hit the waves and show off.”
📚Related Words
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