hit the spot

English

Etymology

Likely originally reflecting either the same metaphor as scratch the itch or a shooting-at-a-target metaphor, although not always perceived through those lenses anymore.

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Verb

hit the spot (third-person singular simple present hits the spot, present participle hitting the spot, simple past and past participle hit the spot)

1. (idiomatic, informal) To be particularly pleasing or appropriate; to be just right.

   Synonyms: scratch the itch, scratch an itch, hit the button

   Some ice cold lemonade would hit the spot on a warm afternoon.

   • 2022 July 21, Eric Kim, “Welcome to Chicago, Hot Dog Town, U.S.A.”, in The New York Times‎:

     Even in the Midwestern summer heat, Al’s dogs hit the spot. Chicago is indisputably a hot-dog town, and there may be no better time than summer to feel that sunshine in your hands.

Translations

be particularly pleasing or appropriate

Chinese: Mandarin: 恰到好处 (zh) (qiàdàohǎochù) Finnish: tehdä terää, olla poikaa, tehdä poikaa, tehdä eetvarttia, tulla hyvään saumaan, sopia kuin valettu French: mettre dans le mille (fr), faire mouche (fr), passer crème (fr) Icelandic: vera hreinasta fyrirtak, vera beint í æð Polish: trafić w dziesiątkę impf Welsh: taro'r nod