Meanings
present singular third person hits the sack · participle present hitting the sack
- slangTo go to bed.
K.P. Arches—Like a housewife who spends a day on the range, a soldier gets tired feet and is eager to hit the sack.
1953, "New Army, Familiar Scenes" (photo essay), New York Times, 18 Jan., p. SM45 (caption)Synonyms: hit the hay, hit the rack, turn into a pumpkin, hit the sheets
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo go to bed.
More synonyms by meaning
verbprepare for sleep
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
A reference to the manner in which farmers tend to sleep on sacks of hay.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
German sich in die Falle hauen, in die Federn gehen
- sich in die Falle hauento go to bed
- in die Federn gehento go to bed
- sich aufs Ohr legento go to bed
- an der Matratze horchento go to bed
Polish iść w kimono, pójść w kimono
- iść w kimonoto go to bed
- pójść w kimonoto go to bed
- uderzać w kimonoto go to bed
- uderzyć w kimonoto go to bed
Cite this entry
hit the sack. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hit%20the%20sack
“hit the sack.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hit%20the%20sack. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hit the sack,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hit%20the%20sack.
Source: hit the sack on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.