Idiom B1 · Daily English

hit the books

To start studying hard, especially before an exam.

What it means

Hit the books is informal for “study seriously”. It’s common among students before tests.

The same “hit the …” pattern gives you hit the road (leave / start a journey), hit the gym, and hit the sack / hay (go to bed).

💡 You’re not really hitting anything — “hit” here just means “get started on”.

Examples

I can’t come out tonight — I have to hit the books.
Exams start Monday, so she’s hitting the books all weekend.

Quick check

1. “It’s time to hit the books.” The speaker is going to…

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