put the hammer down

verb

To drive quickly; to step on the accelerator.

Similar
lay the hammer down
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Meanings

verbput the hammer down (third-person singular simple present puts the hammer down, present participle putting the hammer down, simple past and past participle put the hammer down)

present singular third person puts the hammer down · participle present putting the hammer down

  1. idiomaticTo drive quickly; to step on the accelerator.

    She always put the top up and the hammer down.

    1994, Meat Loaf (singer) and Jim Steinman (lyrics), "Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are"
    1 more example

    I says, "Pig Pen this here's the Rubber Duck and I'm about to put the hammer down."

    1975, C. W. McCall, Convoy

    Synonyms: lay the hammer down

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo drive quickly; to step on the accelerator.

Similar
lay the hammer down
Also see
lay the hammer down
Cite this entry
APA

put the hammer down. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20the%20hammer%20down

MLA

“put the hammer down.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20the%20hammer%20down. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “put the hammer down,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20the%20hammer%20down.

Source: put the hammer down on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.