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Glite Dictionary
to hit the streets

to hit the streets

16 6.1
Go out into public to take part in activities like protesting or selling things
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : salir a la calle
  • European workers are angry, afraid, and frustrated... and hitting the streets.
  • thousands of people hit the streets
  • Let's hit the streets
  • go hit the streets

And that's how that was our day-to-day, just going out, hitting the, the, the streets, going door to door, going to the clubs and just selling your DVDs, selling my DVDs.

Examples

  • Chicago public school teachers hit the streets to picket Monday during their first strike since 1987.

    Blog text (15)

  • "Time to hit the streets, folks."

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Now, let's hit the streets.

    Vice Squad (1982)

  • Over the weekend, millions of Americans hit the streets to protest Donald Trump because he's incompetent.

  • Over the weekend, millions of Americans hit the streets to protest against injustice and demand change.

  • For our community outreach program, we decided to hit the streets and distribute flyers about the upcoming event.

  • After the announcement, citizens hit the streets to voice their opinions and engage in discussions about the issue.

Synonyms

to demonstrate
vsto hit the streets
74 3.2

Join a public protest to show strong opposition

includes protest but also other public activities like campaigning or distributing
to take to the streets
vsto hit the streets
  • Literature
49 4.1

To go outside in large numbers to protest

covers going out for protest campaigning or distributing in public
to hit the pavement
vsto hit the streets
  • US
1 7.0

To go out onto the street to look for work, run for exercise, or sell things

focuses on protesting campaigning and distributing rather than selling or job hunting

Antonyms

to withdraw
466 2.8

To stop taking part in a place or activity

to stay indoors
15 1.6

Remain inside a building to avoid bad weather or danger

How Public

to take to the streets
  • Literature
49 4.1
march
161 2.6
to hit the streets
16 6.1
to go out
893 1.0
to step out
234 2.3

Surface Forms

hit the streets infinitive

Morphology

hit + the + street

A B1 learner who knows 'hit' and 'street' can plausibly infer a basic sense of 'go out into the streets' because the literal parts suggest going into public space. However, the use of 'hit' as a colloquial verb meaning 'take to' or 'engage in public activity' and the phrase's connotation of protest/campaigning are somewhat idiomatic and not fully predictable from the constituents, so it is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Hit the streets comes from the image of people literally hit the streets, their feet striking the road as they step outside to march, sell, or celebrate. So it now means 'to go out into public' to protest, campaign, sell, or take part in events.