From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishhammerham‧mer1 /ˈhæmə $ -ər/ ●●○ noun [countable] 1 
tool a) TZa tool with a heavy metal part on a long handle, used for hitting nails into wood b) TZa tool like this with a wooden head used to make something flat, make a noise etc an auctioneer’s hammer2 → come/go under the hammer3 → hammer blow4 → hammer and tongs5 gunPMW the part of a gun that hits the explosive charge that fires a bullet6 sportDS a heavy metal ball on a wire with a handle at the end, which you throw as far as possible as a sport7 pianoAPM a wooden part of a piano that hits the strings inside to make a musical sound
tool a) TZa tool with a heavy metal part on a long handle, used for hitting nails into wood b) TZa tool like this with a wooden head used to make something flat, make a noise etc an auctioneer’s hammer2 → come/go under the hammer3 → hammer blow4 → hammer and tongs5 gunPMW the part of a gun that hits the explosive charge that fires a bullet6 sportDS a heavy metal ball on a wire with a handle at the end, which you throw as far as possible as a sport7 pianoAPM a wooden part of a piano that hits the strings inside to make a musical soundExamples from the Corpus
hammer• The Plot John Henry was born with a hammer in his hand and was the strongest baby anybody had ever seen.• Milk, two ice cubes crushed with a hammer between two squares of paper towel, and Maalox.• John Henry threw his hammer and snuffed out the fuse.• Any friction at the hammer pivot will slow down the movement of the hammer, tending to make the action sluggish.• Now move the wooden handle of the hammer gradually over the edge of the table.• The hammers in Stein's vis-à-vis piano action point away from the player.• The hammers in Streicher's down-striking action point towards the player.hammerhammer2 ●○○ verb 1 hit with a hammer [intransitive, transitive]HIT to hit something with a hammer in order to force it into a particular position or shapehammer something in/into something Hammer the nails into the back of the frame.hammer away (at something) All afternoon, Martin had been hammering away in the conservatory. the sound of hammering and sawing► see thesaurus at hit2 hit repeatedly [intransitive]HIT to hit something many times, especially making a loud noise SYN pound, banghammer at Daniella hammered at the door. The rain was hammering against the window.3 hurt with problems [transitive] to hurt someone or something by causing them a lot of problems British industry was being hammered by the recession.4 hit hard [transitive] informalHIT to hit or kick something very hard Robinson hammered the ball into the goal.5 criticize [transitive] to strongly criticize or attack someone for something they have said or done The president has been hammered for his lack of leadership. 6 → hammer something home7 heart [intransitive]HBH if your heart hammers, you feel it beating strongly and quickly SYN pound She stood outside the door, her heart hammering.8 defeat [transitive] informalBEAT/DEFEAT to defeat someone completely at a sport Arsenal hammered Manchester United 5–0. → hammer away → hammer something ↔ in → hammer something ↔ out→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
hammer• Her heart hammered against her ribs.• Jane dreamt she was clinging to the edge of a cliff, and her bank manager was hammering at her fingers.• The children hammered at the door to be let in out of the rain.• Clinton hammered away at campaign themes tailor-made to appeal to predominantly white swing voters who might otherwise vote for Republican Bob Dole.• Investors have been hammered by a series of dismal economic reports.• If not, the Internal Revenue Service certainly hammered home the message.• White cleared up to the pink with a break of 31 but missed a difficult black which McManus hammered into the yellow pocket.• The men hammering it together had beckoned us, beaming, inviting inspection.• After a weekend of sawing and hammering nails into 2-by-4s, the dog house was finished.• We could hear them coming up the stairs right to our door and then shouting and hammering on it.• Chicago hammered San Diego 13-2.• Until he found his goal in life, hammering spikes into the railroad tracks, he was not fully happy.• Finally he got a job hammering spikes to make the great railroads.hammer away (at something)• Clinton hammered away at campaign themes tailor-made to appeal to predominantly white swing voters who might otherwise vote for Republican Bob Dole.• Mrs Clinton began hammering away at the issues during her appearance before Florida Democrats at the Democratic convention.• Often George came in at five o'clock in the morning to hammer away at the pirate ship in the carpenter's shop.• I keep hammering away at this point but it applies to so many areas and it's so rarely done.• All afternoon, Martin had been hammering away in the conservatory.• Thereafter it hammers away with great effect until it has excavated a narrow tunnel as much as three feet long.hammer at• Jane dreamt she was clinging to the edge of a cliff, and her bank manager was hammering at her fingers.• Meanwhile, he hammered at his statements with the small obsession of a woodpecker.• The shock started me hammering at my door again.• But no enemy is hammering at our gates.• Though Demjanjuk was convicted and sentenced to death, Buchanan believed the charges were dubious and hammered at the case.• Seb hammered at the door and tugged at the bell-pull but without anyone answering.• Men poured from both and raced through the cheering crowd, up the steps, to hammer at the door.• Black leaders will refrain from hammering at the issue out of an uneasiness at speaking about intergenerational oppression.From Longman Business Dictionaryhammerham‧mer1 /ˈhæmə-ər/ noun COMMERCE come/go under the hammer to be sold at an AUCTIONThe paintings come under the hammer at Sotheby’s in November.hammerhammer2 verb FINANCE hammer the market to sell a large amount of stocks, shares etc at one time, causing prices to fall → hammer something → out→ See Verb tableOrigin hammer1 Old English hamor 