1hit or beat (something) repeatedly with a hammer or similar object:he hammered the tack in
[no object] strike or knock at or on something violently with one’s hand or with a hammer or other object:she hammered on his door [with object]:he hammered the ball wildly over the crossbar
[no object] (hammer away) work hard and persistently:they must hammer away at these twin themes day after day
(hammer something in/into) inculcate something forcefully or repeatedly:a commercial image that was hammered into English consciousness
2 informal attack or criticize forcefully and relentlessly:he got hammered for an honest mistake
utterly defeat in a game or contest:they hammered St Mirren 4-0
3 Stock Exchange, informal beat down the price of (a stock):sceptical investors hammered the computer company’s stock
4 Stock Exchange declare (a person or company) a defaulter:Willis was hammered in the recession
[from the practice of striking three strokes with a mallet on the side of a rostrum in the Stock Exchange before a formal declaration of default]
come (or go) under the hammer
be sold at an auction.
hammer and tongs
informal energetically, enthusiastically, or with great vehemence:racehorses going at it hammer and tongs