not know what hit one

verb

To be extremely surprised by an event.

“She didn't know what hit her when her boyfriend broke up with her.”

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Meanings

verb
  1. idiomaticslangTo be extremely surprised by an event.

    She didn't know what hit her when her boyfriend broke up with her.

    1 more example

    My friend didn't know what had hit him when I poured a bucket of water over his head.

Cite this entry
APA

not know what hit one. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/not%20know%20what%20hit%20one

MLA

“not know what hit one.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/not%20know%20what%20hit%20one. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “not know what hit one,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/not%20know%20what%20hit%20one.

Source: not know what hit one on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.