hit the nail
Get it exactly
Hit the nail, short for hit the nail on the head, means to identify something exactly right or state something with perfect accuracy.
The image is of a hammer striking precisely where intended: You hit the nail—that's exactly what's been bothering me.
Often used to affirm someone's observation or diagnosis.
- hammerTool for striking nails
- headUppermost body part
- precisionAccuracy of measurement
- accurateConforming to fact
- bullseyeExact center target
spot-on · bang on · dead on · exact · correct · right on the money · carpentry · strike · pound · drive · wood · thumb · target · direct · perfect · truth · insight · well said
- idiomstime flies, seize the day, ring a bell, break a leg, barking up the wrong tree
- constructionconstruction site, building site, hammer, building, beam
- proverbsproverbs, sayings, maxims, adages, aphorisms
- accuracyaccurate, precise, exact, correct, right
- Precision phraseson the mark, on target, spot on, dead on, bulls-eye
hit the nailmiss the mark
Fail to achieve aim
miss the point · get it wrong · bark up the wrong tree · miss the boat · drop the ball
hit the nailbeat around the bush
Avoid stating directly
muddy the waters · miss the forest for the trees · talk in circles · obfuscate · waffle
hit the nailmiss
Fail to reach
fail · swing and miss · whiff · fall short · come up empty