Chapter 105

Hip bone (Anat.), the innominate bone; -- called also haunch bone and huckle bone. -- Hip girdle (Anat.), the pelvic girdle. -- Hip joint (Anat.), the articulation between the thigh bone and hip bone. -- Hip knob (Arch.), a finial, ball, or other ornament at the intersection of the hip rafters and the ridge. -- Hip molding (Arch.), a molding on the hip of a roof, covering the hip joint of the slating or other roofing. -- Hip rafter (Arch.), the rafter extending from the wall plate to the ridge in the angle of a hip roof. -- Hip roof, Hipped roof (Arch.), a roof having sloping ends and sloping sides. See Hip, n., 2., and Hip, v. t., 3. -- Hip tile, a tile made to cover the hip of a roof. -- To catch upon the hip, or To have on the hip, to have or get the advantage of; -- a figure probably derived from wresting. Shak. -- To smite hip and thigh, to overthrow completely; to defeat utterly. Judg. xv. 8.

Hip, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hipped (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Hipping.] 1. To dislocate or sprain the hip of, to fracture or injure the hip bone of (a quadruped) in such a manner as to produce a permanent depression of that side.

2. To throw (one's adversary) over one's hip in wrestling (technically called cross buttock).

3. To make with a hip or hips, as a roof.

Hipped roof. See Hip roof, under Hip.

Hip (?), n. [OE. hepe, AS. heÛpe; cf. OHG. hiufo a bramble bush.] (Bot.) The fruit of a rosebush, especially of the English dog-rose (Rosa canina). [Written also hop, hep.]

Hip tree (Bot.), the dog- rose.

Hip, interj. Used to excite attention or as a signal; as, hip, hip, hurra!

Hip, or Hipps (&?;), n. See Hyp, n. [Colloq.]

Hip"halt` (?), a. Lame in the hip. [R.] Gower.

{ Hip"pa (?), Hip"pe (?), } n. (Zoˆl.) A genus of marine decapod crustaceans, which burrow rapidly in the sand by pushing themselves backward; -- called also bait bug. See Illust. under Anomura.

||Hip*pa"ri*on (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; a pony, dim. of &?; a horse.] ||(Paleon.) An extinct genus of Tertiary mammals allied to the horse, ||but three-toed, having on each foot a small lateral hoof on each side ||of the main central one. It is believed to be one of the ancestral ||genera of the Horse family.

{ Hipped (?), Hip"pish (?), } a. [From 5th Hip.] Somewhat hypochondriac; melancholy. See Hyppish. [Colloq.]

When we are hipped or in high spirits.

R. L. Stevenson.

||Hip`po*bos"ca (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. "i`ppos horse + &?; to feed.] ||(Zoˆl.) A genus of dipterous insects including the horsefly or horse ||tick. -- Hip`po*bos"can (#), a.

Hip"po*camp (?), n. See Hippocampus.

Hip`po*cam"pal (?), a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the hippocampus.

Hip`po*cam"pus (?), n. [L., the sea horse, Gr. &?; a hippocampus (in senses 1 and 2); "i`ppos horse + &?; to bend.] 1. (Class. Myth.) A fabulous monster, with the head and fore quarters of a horse joined to the tail of a dolphin or other fish (Hippocampus brevirostris), -- seen in Pompeian paintings, attached to the chariot of Neptune. Fairholt.

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2. (Zoˆl.) A genus of lophobranch fishes of several species in which the head and neck have some resemblance to those of a horse; -- called also sea horse.

They swim slowly, in an erect position, and often cling to seaweeds by means of the incurved prehensile tail. The male has a ventral pouch, in which it carries the eggs till hatched.

3. (Zoˆl.) A name applied to either of two ridges of white matter in each lateral ventricle of the brain. The larger is called hippocampus major or simply hippocampus. The smaller, hippocampus minor, is called also ergot and calcar.

Hip`po*cen"taur (?), n. [L. hippocentaurus, Gr. &?;; "i`ppos horse + &?; centaur.] (Myth.) Same as Centaur.

Hip"po*cras (?), n. [F. hippocras, hypocras, NL. vinum hippocraticum, lit., wine of Hippocrates.] A cordial made of spiced wine, etc.

Hip*poc"ra*tes (?), n. A famous Greek physician and medical writer, born in Cos, about 460 B. C.

Hippocrates' sleeve, a conical strainer, made by stitching together two adjacent sides of a square piece of cloth, esp. flannel of linen.

Hip"po*crat"ic (?), a. Of or pertaining to Hippocrates, or to his teachings.

Hippocratic face [L. facies Hippocratica], the change produced in the countenance by death, or long sickness, excessive evacuations, excessive hunger, and the like. The nose is pinched, the eyes are sunk, the temples hollow, the ears cold and retracted, the skin of the forehead tense and dry, the complexion livid, the lips pendent, relaxed, and cold; -- so called, as having been described by Hippocrates. Dunglison. -- Hippocratic oath, an oath said to have been dictated by Hippocrates to his disciples. Such an oath is still administered to candidates for graduation in medicine.

Hip*poc"ra*tism (?), n. The medical philosophy or system of Hippocrates.

Hip"po*crene (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?;; "i`ppos horse + &?; a fountain.] A fountain on Mount Helicon in Búotia, fabled to have burst forth when the ground was struck by the hoof of Pegasus. Also, its waters, which were supposed to impart poetic inspiration. Keats.

Nor maddening draughts of Hippocrene.

Longfellow.

Hip"po*crep"i*an (?), n. [See Hippocrepiform.] (Zoˆl.) One of an order of fresh-water Bryozoa, in which the tentacles are on a lophophore, shaped like a horseshoe. See PhylactolÊma.

Hip`po*crep`i*form (?), a. [Gr. "i`ppos horse + &?; shoe + -form.] (Bot.) Shaped like a horseshoe.

Hip"po*dame (?), n. [Cf. F. hippopotame.] A fabulous sea monster. [Obs.] Spenser.

Hip"po*drome (?), n. [L. hippodromos, Gr. &?;; "i`ppos horse + &?; course, fr. &?; to run: cf. F. hippodrome.] 1. (Gr. Antiq.) A place set apart for equestrian and chariot races.

2. An arena for equestrian performances; a circus.

Hip"po*griff (?), n. [F. hippogriffe; cf. It. ippogrifo. See Hippopotamus, Griffon.] (Myth.) A fabulous winged animal, half horse and half griffin. Milton.

Hip"po*lith (?), n. [Gr. "i`ppos horse + -lith.] A concretion, or kind of bezoar, from the intestines of the horse.

Hip`po*pa*thol`o*gy (?), n. [Gr. "i`ppos horse + E. pathology: cf. F. hippopathologie.] The science of veterinary medicine; the pathology of the horse.

Hip*poph"a*gi (?), n. pl. [NL. See Hippophagous.] Eaters of horseflesh.

Hip*poph"a*gism (?), n. Hippophagy. Lowell.

Hip*poph"a*gist (?), n. One who eats horseflesh.

Hip*poph"a*gous (?), a. [Gr. "i`ppos horse + &?; to eat: cf. F. hippophage.] Feeding on horseflesh; -- said of certain nomadic tribes, as the Tartars.

Hip*poph"a*gy (?), n. [Cf. F. hippophagie.] The act or practice of feeding on horseflesh.

Hip"po*phile (?), n. [Gr. "i`ppos horse + &?; to love.] One who loves horses. Holmes.

Hip`po*pot"a*mus (?), n.; pl. E. Hippopotamuses (#), L. Hippopotami (#). [L., from Gr.&?;; "i`ppos horse + &?; river. Cf. Equine.] (Zoˆl.) A large, amphibious, herbivorous mammal (Hippopotamus amphibius), common in the rivers of Africa. It is allied to the hogs, and has a very thick, naked skin, a thick and square head, a very large muzzle, small eyes and ears, thick and heavy body, and short legs. It is supposed to be the behemoth of the Bible. Called also zeekoe, and river horse. A smaller species (H. Liberiencis) inhabits Western Africa.

Hip*pot"o*my (?), n. [Gr. "i`ppos horse + &?; to cut: cf. F. hippotomie.] Anatomy of the horse.

Hip*pu"ric (?), a. [Gr. "i`ppos horse + o"y`ron urine: cf. F. hippurique.] (Physiol. Chem.) Obtained from the urine of horses; as, hippuric acid.

Hippuric acid, a white crystalline substance, containing nitrogen, present in the urine of herbivorous animals, and in small quantity in human urine. By the action of acids, it is decomposed into benzoic acid and glycocoll.

Hip"pu*rite (?), n. [Gr. &?; decked with a horse's tail; "i`ppos horse + &?; tail: cf. F. hippurite.] (Paleon.) A fossil bivalve mollusk of the genus Hippurites, of many species, having a conical, cup- shaped under valve, with a flattish upper valve or lid. Hippurites are found only in the Cretaceous rocks.

Hip"-roofed` (?), a. Having a hip roof.

Hip"shot` (?), a. [Hip + shot.] Having the hip dislocated; hence, having one hip lower than the other. L'Estrange.

Hip" tree` (?). (Bot.) The dog- rose.

Hir (?), pron. [Obs.] See Here, pron. Chaucer.

Hir"cic (?), a. [Cf. F. hircique. See Hircin.] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or derived from, mutton suet; -- applied by Chevreul to an oily acid which was obtained from mutton suet, and to which he attributed the peculiar taste and smell of that substance. The substance has also been called hircin. Watts.

Hir"cin (?), n. [L. hircus, he- goat, buck: cf. F. hircine.] (Chem.) Hircic acid. See Hircic. [R.]

{ Hir"cine (?), Hir"ci*nous (?), } a. [L. hircinus, fr. hircus hegoat: cf. F. hircin.] 1. Goatlike; of or pertaining to a goat or the goats.

2. Of a strong goatish smell.

Hire (hr), pron. [Obs.] See Here, pron. Chaucer.

Hire (hr), n. [OE. hire, hure, AS. hr; akin to D. huur, G. heuer, Dan. hyre, Sw. hyra.] 1. The price, reward, or compensation paid, or contracted to be paid, for the temporary use of a thing or a place, for personal service, or for labor; wages; rent; pay.

The laborer is worthy of his hire.

Luke x. 7.

2. (Law.) A bailment by which the use of a thing, or the services and labor of a person, are contracted for at a certain price or reward. Story.

Syn. -- Wages; salary; stipend; allowance; pay.

Hire, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hired (hrd); p. pr. & vb. n. Hiring.] [OE. hiren, huren, AS. hrian; akin to D. huren, G. heuern, Dan. hyre, Sw. hyra. See Hire, n.]

1. To procure (any chattel or estate) from another person, for temporary use, for a compensation or equivalent; to purchase the use or enjoyment of for a limited time; as, to hire a farm for a year; to hire money.

2. To engage or purchase the service, labor, or interest of (any one) for a specific purpose, by payment of wages; as, to hire a servant, an agent, or an advocate.

3. To grant the temporary use of, for compensation; to engage to give the service of, for a price; to let; to lease; -- now usually with out, and often reflexively; as, he has hired out his horse, or his time.

They . . . have hired out themselves for bread.

1 Sam. ii. 5.

Hire"less, a. Without hire. Davenant.

Hire"ling (-lng), n. [AS. hreling. See Hire, n., and -ling.] One who is hired, or who serves for wages; esp., one whose motive and interest in serving another are wholly gainful; a mercenary. "Lewd hirelings." Milton.

Hire"ling, a. Serving for hire or wages; venal; mercenary. "Hireling mourners." Dryden.

Hir"er (?), n. One who hires.

Hires (?), Hirs, pron. Hers; theirs. See Here, pron. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Hir*sute" (?), a. [L. hirsutus; prob. akin to horridus horrid. Cf. Horrid.] 1. Rough with hair; set with bristles; shaggy.

2. Rough and coarse; boorish. [R.]

Cynical and hirsute in his behavior.

Life of A. Wood.

3. (Bot.) Pubescent with coarse or stiff hairs. Gray.

4. (Zoˆl.) Covered with hairlike feathers, as the feet of certain birds.

Hir*sute"ness, n. Hairiness. Burton.

Hir*tel"lous (?), a. [Dim., fr. L. hirtus hairy.] (Bot. & Zoˆl.) Pubescent with minute and somewhat rigid hairs.

Hi*ru"dine (?), a. (Zoˆl.) Of or pertaining to the leeches.

||Hir`u*din"e*a (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. L. hirudo, hirudinis, a leech.] ||(Zoˆl.) An order of Annelida, including the leeches; -- called also ||Hirudinei.

||Hi*ru"do (?), n. [L., a leech.] (Zoˆl.) A genus of leeches, including ||the common medicinal leech. See Leech.

Hi*run"dine (?), a. (Zoˆl.) Like or pertaining to the swallows.

||Hi*run"do (?), n. [L., swallow.] (Zoˆl.) A genus of birds including ||the swallows and martins.

His (?), pron. [AS. his of him, his, gen. masc. & neut. of h&?;, neut. hit. See He.] 1. Belonging or pertaining to him; -- used as a pronominal adjective or adjective pronoun; as, tell John his papers are ready; formerly used also for its, but this use is now obsolete.

No comfortable star did lend his light.

Shak.

Who can impress the forest, bid the tree Unfix his earth-bound root?

Shak.

Also formerly used in connection with a noun simply as a sign of the possessive. "The king his son." Shak. "By young Telemachus his blooming years." Pope. This his is probably a corruption of the old possessive ending - is or -es, which, being written as a separate word, was at length confounded with the pronoun his.

2. The possessive of he; as, the book is his. "The sea is his, and he made it." Ps. xcv. 5.

His"ing*er*ite (?), n. [Named after W. Hisinger, a Swedish mineralogist.] (Min.) A soft black, iron ore, nearly earthy, a hydrous silicate of iron.

His*pan"ic (?), a. [L. Hispanicus.] Of or pertaining to Spain or its language; as, Hispanic words.

His*pan"i*cism, n. A Spanish idiom or mode of speech. Keightley.

His*pan"i*cize (?), v. t. To give a Spanish form or character to; as, to Hispanicize Latin words.

His"pid (?), a. [L. hispidus: cf. F. hispide.]

1. Rough with bristles or minute spines.

2. (Bot. & Zoˆl.) Beset with stiff hairs or bristles.

His*pid"u*lous (?), a. [Dim. of hispid.] (Bot. & Zoˆl.) Minutely hispid.

Hiss (?). v. i. [imp. & p. p. Hissed (#); p. pr. & vb. n. Hissing.] [AS. hysian; prob. of imitative origin&?;; cf. LG. hissen, OD. hisschen.] 1. To make with the mouth a prolonged sound like that of the letter s, by driving the breath between the tongue and the teeth; to make with the mouth a sound like that made by a goose or a snake when angered; esp., to make such a sound as an expression of hatred, passion, or disapproval.

The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee.

Ezek. xxvii. 36.

2. To make a similar noise by any means; to pass with a sibilant sound; as, the arrow hissed as it flew.

Shod with steel, We hissed along the polished ice.

Wordsworth.

Hiss, v. t. 1. To condemn or express contempt for by hissing.

If the tag-rag people did not clap him and hiss him, according as he pleased and displeased them.

Shak.

Malcolm. What is the newest grief? Ros. That of an hour's age doth hiss the speaker.

Shak.

2. To utter with a hissing sound.

The long-necked geese of the world that are ever hissing dispraise.

Tennyson.

Hiss, n. 1. A prolonged sound like that letter s, made by forcing out the breath between the tongue and teeth, esp. as a token of disapprobation or contempt.

"Hiss" implies audible friction of breath consonants.

H. Sweet.

A dismal, universal hiss, the sound Of public scorn.

Milton.

2. Any sound resembling that above described; as: (a) The noise made by a serpent.

But hiss for hiss returned with forked tongue.

Milton.

(b) The note of a goose when irritated. (c) The noise made by steam escaping through a narrow orifice, or by water falling on a hot stove.

Hiss"ing, n. 1. The act of emitting a hiss or hisses.

2. The occasion of contempt; the object of scorn and derision. [Archaic]

I will make this city desolate, and a hissing.

Jer. xix. 8.

Hiss"ing*ly, adv. With a hissing sound.

Hist (?), interj. [Cf. Dan. hys. &?;. Cf. Hush, Whist.] Hush; be silent; -- a signal for silence. Milton.

His`ti*ol"o*gy (?), n. [Gr. "isto`s tissue + -logy.] Same as Histology.

His`to*gen"e*sis (?), n. [Gr. "isto`s tissue + E. genesis.] (Biol.) (a) The formation and development of organic tissues; histogeny; -- the opposite of histolysis. (b) Germ history of cells, and of the tissues composed of cells. Haeckel.

His`to*ge*net"ic (?), a. [See Histogeny.] (Biol.) Tissue-producing; connected with the formation and development of the organic tissues.

His*tog"e*ny (?), n. [Gr. "isto`s tissue + root of &?; to be born.] (Biol.) Same as Histogenesis. Dunglison.

His*tog"ra*pher (?), n. One who describes organic tissues; an histologist.

His"to*graph"ic*al (?), a. Of or pertaining to histography.

His*tog"ra*phy (?), n. [Gr. "isto`s tissue + -graphy.] A description of, or treatise on, organic tissues.

His`to*hÊm"a*tin (?), n. [Gr. "isto`s tissue + E. hÊmatin.] (Physiol.) One of a class of respiratory pigments, widely distributed in the animal kingdom, capable of ready oxidation and reduction.

His"toid (?), a. [Gr. "isto`s tissue + -oid.] Resembling the normal tissues; as, histoid tumors.

{ His`to*log"ic (?), His`to*log"ic*al } a. (Biol.) Pertaining to histology, or to the microscopic structure of the tissues of living organisms. -- His`to*log"ic*al*ly, adv.

His*tol"o*gist (?), n. One versed in histology.

His*tol"o*gy (?), n. [Gr. "isto`s tissue + -logy.] That branch of biological science, which treats of the minute (microscopic) structure of animal and vegetable tissues; -- called also histiology.

||His*tol"y*sis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. "isto`s tissue + &?; to loosen, ||dissolve.] (Biol.) The decay and dissolution of the organic tissues ||and of the blood.

His`to*lyt"ic (?), a. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to histolysis, or the degeneration of tissues.

His*ton"o*my (?), n. [Gr. "isto`s tissue + &?; to distribute, regulate.] The science which treats of the laws relating to organic tissues, their formation, development, functions, etc.

His*toph"y*ly (?), n. [Gr. "isto`s tissue + Gr. &?; clan.] (Biol.) The tribal history of cells, a division of morphophyly. Haeckel.

His*to"ri*al (?), a. [L. historialis: cf. F. historial.] Historical. [Obs.] Chaucer.

His*to"ri*an (?), n. [F. historien.] 1. A writer of history; a chronicler; an annalist.

Even the historian takes great liberties with facts.

Sir J. Reynolds.

2. One versed or well informed in history.

Great captains should be good historians.

South.

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{ His*tor"ic (hs*tr"k), his*tor"ic*al (hs*tr"*kal), } a. [L. historicus, Gr. "istoriko`s: cf. F. historique. See History.] Of or pertaining to history, or the record of past events; as, an historical poem; the historic page. -- His*tor"ic*al*ness, n. -- His*to*ric"i*ty (#), n.

There warriors frowning in historic brass.

Pope.

Historical painting, that branch of painting which represents the events of history. -- Historical sense, that meaning of a passage which is deduced from the circumstances of time, place, etc., under which it was written. -- The historic sense, the capacity to conceive and represent the unity and significance of a past era or age.

His*tor"ic*al*ly (?), adv. In the manner of, or in accordance with, history.

His*tor"i*cize (?), v. t. To record or narrate in the manner of a history; to chronicle. [R.]

His"to*ried (?), a. Related in history.

His*to"ri*er (?), n. An historian. [Obs.]

||His`to*ri*ette" (?), n. [F., dim. of histoire a history.] Historical ||narration on a small scale; a brief recital; a story. Emerson.

His*tor"i*fy (?), v. t. [History + -fy.] To record in or as history. [R.] Lamb.

Thy conquest meet to be historified.

Sir P. Sidney.

His*to`ri*og"ra*pher (hs*t`r*g"r*fr), n. [L. historiographus, Gr. "istoriogra`fos; "istori`a history + gra`fein to write: cf. F. historiographe.] An historian; a writer of history; especially, one appointed or designated to write a history; also, a title bestowed by some governments upon historians of distinction.

His*to`ri*og"ra*pher*ship, n. The office of an historiographer. Saintsbury.

His*to`ri*og"ra*phy (?), n. The art of employment of an historiographer.

His*to`ri*ol"o*gy (?), n. [Gr. &?; history + -logy.] A discourse on history. Cockeram.

His*to`ri*on"o*mer (?), n. [Gr. &?; history + &?; to distribute.] One versed in the phenomena of history and the laws controlling them.

And historionomers will have measured accurately the sidereal years of races.

Lowell.

His"to*rize (?), v. t. To relate as history; to chronicle; to historicize. [R.] Evelyn.

His"to*ry (?), n.; pl. Histories (#). [L. historia, Gr. 'istori`a history, information, inquiry, fr. 'istwr, "istwr, knowing, learned, from the root of &?; to know; akin to E. wit. See Wit, and cf. Story.]

1. A learning or knowing by inquiry; the knowledge of facts and events, so obtained; hence, a formal statement of such information; a narrative; a description; a written record; as, the history of a patient's case; the history of a legislative bill.

2. A systematic, written account of events, particularly of those affecting a nation, institution, science, or art, and usually connected with a philosophical explanation of their causes; a true story, as distinguished from a romance; -- distinguished also from annals, which relate simply the facts and events of each year, in strict chronological order; from biography, which is the record of an individual's life; and from memoir, which is history composed from personal experience, observation, and memory.

Histories are as perfect as the historian is wise, and is gifted with an eye and a soul.

Carlyle.

For aught that I could ever read, Could ever hear by tale or history.

Shak.

What histories of toil could I declare!

Pope.

History piece, a representation in painting, drawing, etc., of any real event, including the actors and the action. -- Natural history, a description and classification of objects in nature, as minerals, plants, animals, etc., and the phenomena which they exhibit to the senses.

Syn. -- Chronicle; annals; relation; narration. -- History, Chronicle, Annals. History is a methodical record of important events which concern a community of men, usually so arranged as to show the connection of causes and effects, to give an analysis of motive and action etc. A chronicle is a record of such events, conforming to the order of time as its distinctive feature. Annals are a chronicle divided up into separate years. By poetic license annals is sometimes used for history.

Justly CÊsar scorns the poet's lays; It is to history he trusts for praise.

Pope.

No more yet of this; For 't is a chronicle of day by day, Not a relation for a breakfast.

Shak.

Many glorious examples in the annals of our religion.

Rogers.

His"to*ry, v. t. To narrate or record. [Obs.] Shak.

His*tot"o*my (?), n. [Gr. &?; tissue + &?; to cut.] The dissection of organic tissues.

His"to*zyme (?), n. [Gr. &?; tissue + &?; leaven.] (Physiol. Chem.) A soluble ferment occurring in the animal body, to the presence of which many normal decompositions and synthetical processes are supposed to be due.

His"tri*on (?), n. [L. histrio: cf. F. histrion.] A player. [R.] Pope.

{ His`tri*on"ic (?), His`tri*on"ic*al (?) }, a. [L. histrionicus: cf. F. histrionique. See Histrion.] Of or relating to the stage or a stageplayer; befitting a theatre; theatrical; -- sometimes in a bad sense. -- His`tri*on"ic*al*ly, adv.

Tainted with false and histrionic feeling.

De Quincey.

His`tri*on"i*cism (?), n. The histrionic art; stageplaying. W. Black.

His"tri*o*nism (?), n. Theatrical representation; acting; affectation. Sir T. Browne.

His"tri*o*nize (?), v. t. To act; to represent on the stage, or theatrically. Urquhart.

Hit (?), pron. It. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Hit, 3d pers. sing. pres. of Hide, contracted from hideth. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Hit (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hit; p. pr. & vb. n. Hitting.] [OE. hitten, hutten, of Scand. origin; cf. Dan. hitte to hit, find, Sw. & Icel. hitta.] 1. To reach with a stroke or blow; to strike or touch, usually with force; especially, to reach or touch (an object aimed at).

I think you have hit the mark.

Shak.

2. To reach or attain exactly; to meet according to the occasion; to perform successfully; to attain to; to accord with; to be conformable to; to suit.

Birds learning tunes, and their endeavors to hit the notes right.

Locke.

There you hit him; . . . that argument never fails with him.

Dryden.

Whose saintly visage is too bright To hit the sense of human sight.

Milton.

He scarcely hit my humor.

Tennyson.

3. To guess; to light upon or discover. "Thou hast hit it." Shak.

4. (Backgammon) To take up, or replace by a piece belonging to the opposing player; -- said of a single unprotected piece on a point.

To hit off, to describe with quick characteristic strokes; as, to hit off a speaker. Sir W. Temple. -- To hit out, to perform by good luck. [Obs.] Spenser.