Hit the books means to start studying seriously. People usually say it before an exam or after a long break. The expression is American and conversational; British speakers more often say revise when they talk about exam preparation, and in an essay study hard works.
When would you say hit the books?
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hit the books; hit the books for an exam; time to hit the books
- My finals start in two weeks, so tonight I really need to hit the books.
- He hit the books every evening after work and passed his accounting exam in June.
What changed
First versionI can't come tonight because I have to hit the book.
RevisionI can't come tonight because I have to hit the books.
In the idiom, books is always plural. Hit the book in the singular sounds literal, as if you were hitting a book. One letter was added.
Hit the books means to start studying, hit the sack means to go to bed, and hit the road means to set off on a journey. The verb is the same each time, and the noun sets the meaning: After three hours of revision, I finally hit the sack.
Your turn
The exam is on Monday and I haven't opened my notes yet, so this weekend I'll ___.
Show the answer
hit the books — There's little time left before the exam and the notes haven't even been opened, so it's time to study: hit the books. Hit the sack means “go to bed”, and that won't prepare anyone for an exam.
Write about your next exam or test. Say when you'll start preparing and what you'll revise.
My driving theory test is on 12 October, so from tomorrow I'll hit the books and revise road signs every evening.
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