Definition of hit with

The origin of the phrase "hit with" can be traced back to Old English, specifically to the preposition "on" and the Old Norse verb "hita" which meant "to strike" or "to reach". When the Vikings invaded England in the 9th century, they brought their Old Norse language with them, and it had a significant impact on the English language. The Old Norse verb "hita" was adopted by the English, and it appeared in middle English as "hitten" or "hiccen". The phrase "hit with" came into being by combining the Old English "on" (meaning "upon" or "towards") with "hitten" in a sentence structure. For example, in Old English, "hNorman-dæg hettes ælmesfeldan, ne mare hitten ne mist ok gascenes, sumhatenne hreorg dræbpe" translated to "the following day summoned the army, neither infantry nor cavalry or gascony (soldiers from Southern France) was missing, who were struck down by suffering". In modern English, "hit with" is now commonly used to mean "affected by", "experience", or "encounter", as in "I was hit with sudden rain", "hit with a fever", or "hit with a defeat". The original meaning of "hitting" something still exists in phrases such as "hit the target" or "hit the nail on the head".