hit
It, especially when the word gets stress at the start of a sentence.
Also called it.
Updated September 24, 2026
hit pronunciation
/HIT/
Meaning
In Appalachian and rural Southern talk, hit is the old form of it. You hear it most when the pronoun leads the sentence or gets emphasis: Hit's rainin'. I forgot hit. Same word as the punch-you-in-the-arm hit, but here it's just the pronoun wearing its h. Older speakers keep it; younger folks may drop it for plain it.
How folks use it
- “Hit's been a long time since we had a good rain.”
- “I meant to bring my gun, but I forgot hit.”
Origin and etymology
From Old English hit, the older form of it. That h stuck around in Scotland, northern England, and Ulster, then rode into the Southern mountains with Scotch-Irish settlers. DARE labels it chiefly South and South Midland in the U.S.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same hit as hit somebody?
Spelled the same, different job. Dialect hit means it. The verb hit means strike. Context usually makes which one clear.