Hammer

subs. (pugilistic).—1.  A hard-hitter: especially with the right hand, like the illustrious HAMMER Lane. Also HAMMERER and HAMMER-MAN.

  1819.  T. MOORE, Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress, p. 33. A letter written on the occasion by Harry Harmer the HAMMERER.

  1823.  BADCOCK (‘Jon Bee’), Dictionary of the Turf, etc., s.v., 93. When a man hits very hard, chiefly with a favorite hand, his blows are said to ‘fall like those of a sledge-HAMMER.’ Such boxers are HAMMERING fighters, that do not defend their own vitals, cannot make sure of a blow, and are termed HAMMERERS and HAMMERMEN.

  2.  (common).—An unblushing lie. For synonyms, see WHOPPER.

  Verb (pugilistic).—1.  To beat; to PUNISH (q.v.).

  1887.  T. E. BROWN, The Doctor, p. 159.

  1890.  A. C. GUNTER, Miss Nobody of Nowhere, p. 26. ‘HAMMER him? What with?—a club?’ ‘No, with my fists.’

  2.  (American).—To bate; to drive down (prices, etc.).

  1865.  Harper’s Magazine, p. 619. The chronic bears were amusing themselves by HAMMERING, i.e., pressing down the price of Hudsons.

  3.  (stock exchange).—To declare one a defaulter.

  1885.  Fortnightly Review, xxxviii., p. 578. A ‘defaulter’ has been declared or HAMMERED, as it is technically termed.

  1888.  Echo, 28 Dec. If any unfortunate member be HAMMERED to-day or to-morrow it will in all probability be a bear.

  1890.  Daily Telegraph, 1 Nov. This being the third day after the general settlement, a defaulter who had been unable to provide cash was HAMMERED, and private arrangements are reported in other quarters without resort to this extreme measure.

  1891.  Pall Mall Gazette, 25 July, p. 1, c. 3. But what is an ‘outside broker?’ some (possibly lady) reader may ask. Well, he may be, and often is, a regular, who has been HAMMERED for failing to meet his ‘differences.’

  1891.  Tit-Bits, 15 Aug. I need not go into the circumstances which led to my being expelled from that honourable body, or HAMMERED as it is familiarly called, owing to the taps with a hammer which the head porter gives before he officially proclaims the name of a defaulter.

  DOWN AS A HAMMER, adv. phr. (common).—1.  Wide-awake; KNOWING (q.v.); FLY (q.v.).

  1819.  T. MOORE, Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress, p. 45. To be down to any thing 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.

  1598.  JONSON, Every Man in his Humour, iii. 3. Now am I, for some five and fifty reasons, HAMMERING, HAMMERING revenge.

  1719.  D’URFEY, Wit and Mirth; or Pills to Purge Melancholy, iii., 23.

  1889.  J. MCCARTHY, and R. 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.