hammer into and pound into

hammer (something) into (someone or something)

1. To strike something repeatedly, as or as if with a hammer, until it penetrates some person or thing. Next, you need to hammer these nails into the wall. Have you hammered the stakes into the ground yet? A push pin will never hold that picture frame. We'll hammer a nail into the wall and hang it on that.

2. To commit some piece of information into one's or someone else's long-term memory, especially through intense repetition. How many times do I have to hammer it into you? Do not drive my car unless I give you permission first! I've just been trying to hammer these formulas into my head for the big test tomorrow! A: "Mom, how do you still remember the quadratic equation?" B: "I don't know. I guess my high school tutor really hammered it into my head!"

See also: hammer

pound (something) into (someone or something)

1. To strike something repeatedly, as with a hammer, until it penetrates some surface or thing. Next, you need to pound these nails into the wall.

2. To commit some piece of information into one's or someone else's long-term memory, especially through intense repetition. How many times do I have to pound it into your head? Do not drive my car unless I give you permission first! I've just been trying to pound these formulas into my head for the big test tomorrow!

See also: pound

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

hammer something into someone and pound something into someone

hammer someone in; pound someone in Fig. to teach something to someone intensively, as if one were driving the information in by force. Her parents had hammered good manners into her head since she was a child. They hammered in good manners every day. They pounded proper behavior into the children.

See also: and, hammer, pound

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.