hitched
hitched — adjective
1. joined in marriage to someone — an informal way of saying 'married', often used
joined in marriage to someone — an informal way of saying 'married', often used when announcing or celebrating a wedding.
Boris and Fatima got hitched in a simple ceremony last spring.
'get hitched' for getting married
After ten years together, Nadia got hitched to a chef from Taipei.
'get hitched to [someone]' for the partner
Pablo and Amara got hitched during a big family celebration.
Minh met Oluwaseun in 2019, and they got hitched the following summer.
The couple next door got hitched on a beach in southern Thailand.
- married
neutral and standard; 'hitched' is its informal equivalent
- wedded
more formal or literary; 'hitched' is far more casual
- joined in matrimony
very formal; only used in official or religious contexts
文法句型
get hitched
be hitched (to someone)
用法筆記
Frequently used in the expressions 'get hitched' and 'be hitched to someone'. This sense is informal — use 'married' or 'get married' in formal writing.
常見錯誤
hitched — verb
1. to fasten or attach something by looping a rope, wire, or hook around it or thro
to fasten or attach something by looping a rope, wire, or hook around it or through it so it stays in place
Diego hitched the gate shut with a piece of wire after the latch broke.
hitch + object + shut — fasten with wire to keep closed
Jing hitched her shopping bag onto the chair to keep it off the floor.
Samir hitched the rope tightly around the post before climbing down the wall.
A loose thread on Yuki's coat hitched on the door handle as she walked by.
The old sailor hitched the anchor rope to a metal ring on the dock.
文法句型
hitch + object + to/around/on [something]
hitch + object + [complement]
hitch + on/around [something] (intransitive)
用法筆記
Transitive use (hitch + object + to/around) is most common. The intransitive use (the rope hitched on a nail) is less frequent and describes an accidental catching.
常見錯誤
2. to connect a vehicle, trailer, or piece of farm equipment to a car, truck, tract
to connect a vehicle, trailer, or piece of farm equipment to a car, truck, tractor, or animal so it can be pulled
Ibrahim hitched the boat trailer to his jeep before heading to the lake.
hitch + [trailer] + to + [vehicle] — standard pattern
Hana watched the farmer hitch the plough to the red tractor in the barn.
The old horse was hitched to a wooden cart loaded with hay bales.
Fatima hitched the caravan to the family car for their summer road trip.
Tariq spent an hour hitching the trailer to the truck before the move.
文法句型
hitch + [vehicle] + to + [towing vehicle or animal]
be hitched to [something]
用法筆記
Almost always transitive: hitch A to B. The passive (be hitched to) is very common, especially for horse-drawn vehicles.
常見錯誤
3. to go through a wedding or marriage ceremony as an event or occasion, rather tha
to go through a wedding or marriage ceremony as an event or occasion, rather than describing the continuing state of being married
After dating for six years, Eva and Dan finally got hitched last summer.
informal: get hitched = get married (event)
Nadia and Xin got hitched in a small ceremony on the beach.
get hitched + location — the wedding ceremony event
My grandparents got hitched in a tiny church near their village when they were both nineteen.
The young couple announced they were planning to get hitched in the spring.
A family friend got hitched last weekend and then moved to Canada.
- get married
neutral register; more formal than 'get hitched'
- tie the knot
also informal; equally idiomatic
- wed
formal or literary; much less common in everyday speech
- get divorced
opposite life event; not a direct verb opposite
- split up
informal; end a relationship, not necessarily marriage
文法句型
get + hitched
be + hitched
用法筆記
Distinguish from the adjective sense (MARRIED INFORMAL). This verb sense describes the ACTION or EVENT of getting married — the wedding ceremony or the decision to marry. Use the adjective sense for describing the STATE of being married, e.g. 'They have been hitched for ten years' (state, adjective). The verb sense always refers to the wedding event itself, never the ongoing state that follows.
常見錯誤
4. to travel by standing at the side of a road and asking drivers for a free ride
to travel by standing at the side of a road and asking drivers for a free ride
The tired traveler had to hitch a ride after his car broke on the highway.
hitch a ride — ask for a free lift from a passing driver
Two backpackers hitched across France during their summer break.
A young woman stood by the road trying to hitch a lift into town.
A student on a tight budget hitched from Taipei to Kenting one summer.
- hitchhike
the full form of this sense; more widely recognized in formal contexts
- thumb a ride
informal idiom referring to the hand signal used
- catch a lift
British English, less specific to hitchhiking
文法句型
hitch + a ride/lift
hitch across/through/down [place]
hitch + from [place] + to [place]
用法筆記
Both 'hitch' alone (intransitive) and 'hitch a ride/lift' (verb + object) are common. This sense is becoming less frequent as ride-sharing apps replace traditional hitchhiking in many countries.
常見錯誤
5. to walk with a limp or in a jerky, uneven way because of an injury or physical l
to walk with a limp or in a jerky, uneven way because of an injury or physical limitation
The wounded soldier hitched along the dusty road, leaning on a wooden stick.
After twisting his ankle on the trail, the injured hiker hitched back to the car.
hitch back — move with difficulty returning from somewhere
The old man hitched across the room, holding onto the furniture for balance.
The injured dog hitched along on three legs, unable to put weight on its paw.
文法句型
hitch + along/across/back [adverb of direction]
hitch + on [number of legs]
用法筆記
This is an older, less common sense. In modern English, 'limp' or 'hobble' are much more frequent. The use of 'hitch' for walking is mostly found in older novels or regional dialects.
常見錯誤
hitched — noun
1. a way of walking that is uneven and unsteady, usually caused by an injury to the
a way of walking that is uneven and unsteady, usually caused by an injury to the leg or foot
After twisting his ankle on the trail, Theo walked with a noticeable hitch for days.
collocation: walk with a hitch
The horse had a hitch in its step from a leg wound that never healed.
Lin noticed a slight hitch in her father's gait after his morning run.
Kwame's hitch became more obvious when he tried to walk quickly across the parking lot.
2. a quick, sharp pulling movement made with a rope, strap, or part of the body
a quick, sharp pulling movement made with a rope, strap, or part of the body
Priya gave the rope a firm hitch to tighten the knot around the wooden post.
collocation: give [sth] a hitch
With a hitch of his shoulders, Yusuf adjusted the backpack before continuing up the trail.
collocation: a hitch of [body part]
The fisherman felt a hitch on the line, knowing a fish had taken the bait.
Amara gave the stuck drawer a sharp hitch, and it finally slid open.
用法筆記
Often appears in the pattern 'give [something] a hitch', similar to other nouns of sudden movement (a pull, a tug, a jerk).
3. a short pause, delay, or gap in a schedule, timetable, or planned sequence of ev
a short pause, delay, or gap in a schedule, timetable, or planned sequence of events
The train service experienced a brief hitch due to a signal failure near the station.
collocation: brief hitch (delay in service)
There was a slight hitch in the schedule when the guest speaker arrived late.
collocation: a hitch in [schedule]
The train schedule had a twenty-minute hitch between connecting services at the main station.
The game show had a brief hitch during the commercial break while the crew reset the stage.
There was a short hitch in the ceremony after the ring bearer stopped to pick up a fallen flower.
用法筆記
This sense describes a neutral timing gap or delay in a schedule, not necessarily caused by a serious problem. For the meaning 'unexpected problem or difficulty,' see the PROBLEM sense (noun/4). The set phrase 'without a hitch' (meaning smoothly, without problems) belongs to noun/4, not this sense.
常見錯誤
4. an unexpected problem or difficulty that prevents something from happening as pl
an unexpected problem or difficulty that prevents something from happening as planned — also used in the negative phrase "without a hitch" to mean smoothly, with no problems
The only hitch in our plans was a cancelled flight that delayed us six hours.
collocation: the only hitch in [plans]
There was a minor hitch with the visa application, but Sofia sorted it out quickly.
collocation: minor hitch
A technical hitch prevented the live stream from starting on time for the audience.
The wedding preparations faced a last-minute hitch when the caterer cancelled.
Every new project hits a few hitches before everything runs smoothly.
Production came to a hitch when the main conveyor belt suddenly stopped working.
Without a hitch, the ceremony proceeded exactly as the organisers had planned.
The software update installed without a hitch on all office computers overnight.
用法筆記
This is the most frequent noun sense of 'hitch'. The set phrase 'without a hitch' (meaning smoothly, without problems) belongs to this sense — the 'hitch' in that phrase is an unwanted problem, not a neutral pause. The verb 'hit' collocates strongly: 'hit a hitch'. For the sense of a neutral timing gap in a schedule, see the SCHEDULE PAUSE sense (noun/3).
常見錯誤
5. a metal device on the back of a car or truck used for pulling a trailer, caravan
a metal device on the back of a car or truck used for pulling a trailer, caravan, or other load
Vikram checked that the trailer hitch was properly locked before driving onto the highway.
collocation: trailer hitch
The hitch on the pickup truck could handle loads of up to three thousand kilograms.
A rusted hitch broke while the farmer was pulling a loaded cart across the field.
Layla bought a ball mount for her car's hitch to tow a small boat.
用法筆記
Commonly appears as part of compound nouns such as 'trailer hitch', 'tow hitch', or 'ball hitch'. The device typically consists of a receiver, a ball mount, and a locking pin.
6. a fixed period of time spent serving in the army, navy, or other armed force
a fixed period of time spent serving in the army, navy, or other armed force
Akira did a two-year hitch in the navy before returning to university to study engineering.
pattern: [length] + hitch in [branch of military]
After finishing his hitch in the marines, Ravi found work as a security consultant.
Soldiers on their first hitch often receive training in specialised technical skills.
Sofia's father had served a hitch in the air force during the late 1990s.
- tour of duty
more formal and specific to deployment in a particular location
- stint
broader — can apply to any job, not just military
用法筆記
Primarily used in informal contexts, especially among current or former military personnel. More formal alternatives include 'tour of duty' or 'period of service'. In countries with compulsory military service, 'hitch' may refer to the legally required period.
7. a simple type of knot used to fasten a rope temporarily around a post, ring, or
a simple type of knot used to fasten a rope temporarily around a post, ring, or rail, designed so it can be released quickly
The sailor tied a clove hitch to secure the boat for the night.
type: clove hitch
Lin learned to tie a rolling hitch to attach a rope to a metal pole.
type: rolling hitch
A half hitch held the rope to the stake, but the wind pulled it loose.
Theo used a timber hitch to drag the branch across the yard with his truck.
- knot
more general; all hitches are knots, but not all knots are hitches
用法筆記
This is a technical term with several specific subtypes: clove hitch, half hitch, rolling hitch, timber hitch, etc. In everyday use outside sailing or climbing contexts, most speakers simply say 'knot'.
8. a free journey in a passing vehicle, usually obtained by standing at the roadsid
a free journey in a passing vehicle, usually obtained by standing at the roadside and signalling to drivers
With no bus on Sunday, Kwame decided to get a hitch into the city.
collocation: get a hitch
Amara got a hitch from a driver heading all the way to the coast.
Yusuf thumbed a hitch outside the village and reached the airport for his flight.
In some countries, giving a stranger a hitch is a common and friendly practice.
用法筆記
Commonly appears in the phrases 'get a hitch', 'thumb a hitch'. The verb 'hitchhike' (or 'hitch' as a verb) is more frequent in modern usage, but the noun form is still understood.