Hammer — Defs

01 n. An instrument for driving nails, beating metals, and the like, consisting of a head, usually of steel or iron, fixed crosswise to a handle.

1.
An instrument for driving nails, beating metals, and the like, consisting of a head, usually of steel or iron, fixed crosswise to a handle.
“With busy hammers closing rivets up.” — Shak.
2.
Something which in form or action resembles the common hammer(Anat.)
“He met the stern legionaries [of Rome] who had been the “massive iron hammers” of the whole earth.” — J. H. Newman.
3.
A spherical weight attached to a flexible handle and hurled from a mark or ring. The weight of head and handle is usually not less than 16 pounds.(Athletics)

Phrases & compounds

Atmospheric hammer — a dead-stroke hammer in which the spring is formed by confined air.

Drop hammer — See under Drop, Face, etc.

Hammer fish — See Hammerhead.

Hammer hardening — the process of hardening metal by hammering it when cold.

Hammer shell — any species of Malleus, a genus of marine bivalve shells, allied to the pearl oysters, having the wings narrow and elongated, so as to give them a hammer-shaped outline; -- called also hammer oyster.

To bring to the hammer — to put up at auction.

02 v. t. To beat with a hammer; to beat with heavy blows; as, to hammer iron.

imp. & p. p. Hammered; p. pr. & vb. n. Hammering

1.
To beat with a hammer; to beat with heavy blows; as, to hammer iron.
2.
To form or forge with a hammer; to shape by beating.
3.
To form in the mind; to shape by hard intellectual labor; -- usually with out.
“Who was hammering out a penny dialogue.” — Jeffry.

03 v. i. To be busy forming anything; to labor hard as if shaping something with a hammer.

1.
To be busy forming anything; to labor hard as if shaping something with a hammer.
“Whereon this month I have been hammering.” — Shak.
2.
To strike repeated blows, literally or figuratively.
“Blood and revenge are hammering in my head.” — Shak.