hit the deck

hit the deck

1. To drop to the ground, usually in an attempt to avoid danger. All the soldiers hit the deck when the enemy plane flew overhead.
2. To get out of bed. It's already one in the afternoon—hit the deck!
See also: deck, hit
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

hit the deck

 
1. Fig. to fall down; to drop down to the floor or ground. Hit the deck. Don't let them see you. I hit the deck the minute I heard the shots.
2. Fig. to get out of bed. Come on, hit the deck! It's morning. Hit the deck! Time to rise and shine!
See also: deck, hit
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

hit the deck

Also, hit the dirt. Fall to the ground, usually for protection. For example, As the planes approached, we hit the deck, or We heard shooting and hit the dirt. In the early 1900s the first expression was nautical slang for "jump out of bed," or "wake up," and somewhat later, "get going." The current meaning dates from the 1920s.
See also: deck, hit
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

hit the deck

If someone or something hits the deck, they suddenly fall to the ground. `We'll have to get a doctor!' I hit the deck yowling. My hands were wrapped round my knees. Instead of pulling up, the plane seemed to go faster and faster before it hit the deck. Note: `Deck' normally means the floor of a ship or, in American English, a raised platform outside a house. Here it means the floor or ground.
See also: deck, hit
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

hit the deck

fall to or throw yourself on the ground. informal
See also: deck, hit
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

hit the ˈdeck

(informal)
1 fall to the ground suddenly: When we heard the shooting we hit the deck. The champion landed another heavy punch and the challenger hit the deck for the third time.
2 (American English) get out of bed: Come on! It’s time to hit the deck.
See also: deck, hit
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

hit the deck

1. tv. to get out of bed. Come on, hit the deck! It’s morning.
2. tv. to fall down; to drop down. I hit the deck the minute I heard the shots.
See also: deck, hit
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

hit the deck

Slang
1. To get out of bed.
2. To fall or drop to a prone position.
3. To prepare for action.
See also: deck, hit
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • hit the dirt
  • all hands
  • all hands on deck
  • hit the hay/sack, to
  • hit the sack/hay
  • climb into (something)
  • fall out of bed
  • on deck
  • die in (one's) bed
  • die in your bed
References in periodicals archive
JOCKEYS Philip Robinson and Jimmy Quinn each had a lucky escape from serious injury after both hit the deck in a frightening incident at Goodwood yesterday.
HORSERACING : JOCKEYS ESCAPE INJURY
VERDICT Schindlers Hunt and Cailin Alainn are not coming into this race high on confidence after falling on their latest outings (the latter has hit the deck on her last two starts at Cheltenham) and it's anyone's guess how they will cope with the pressure this afternoon.
Horse Racing: MATCH OF THE DAY; Schindlers Hunt vs Cailin Alainn TRADING POST
Over the last year I've watched values of the Shad edge lower and lower, but this week my jaw hit the deck when I saw a decent '72 example go under the auctioneer's gavel for just pounds 1,110.
Quentin Willson motoring column: Shadows are falling off cliff
Kim, 44, who plays promiscuous publicist Samantha Jones in the hit show, which also stars Kristin Davis, Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon, hit the deck after her stiletto heel became stuck in a metal drain cover in the street.
FALLEN WOMAN
Hit the deck last time but thought capable of making amends.
View from the training centres: West Country
Steele had only been on the pitch for four minutes when he lost control of a ball under pressure from McCammon and when the Brentford striker hit the deck referee Paul Taylor pointed to the spot after consulting a linesman.
FOOTBALL: Hunt is spot on; COLCHESTER.........0 BRENTFORD.........1
It hit the deck, bounced and hit Mr Newlands, a bachelor from Elgin, Moray, on the back.
Firm is fined for tragedy on oil rig
UP-AND-COMING conditional rider James Davies was lucky to escape serious injury after Colnside Bonnie hit the deck at the third flight of the mares' only novices' hurdle.
Exeter: Davies fortunate to escape serious injury
The Monster Mob Ducati rider, who hit the deck at Druids, said: "I just lost control, I had already set the fastest time but was looking for that something special."
Motorcycling: HIS OUT IN FRONT
It means that instead of screaming for the leader to fall if we've backed the second, we'll be shouting for our own selection to hit the deck if it's got no chance of finishing in the frame.
RESULT!: Grand fall guy's Vic of the bunch
Mary Reveley saddled her second winner at the meeting when Celtic Romance came out on top in a thrilling finish to the seven-furlong nursery-a rough race which saw Miss Opulence and Robbie Fitzpatrick dramatically hit the deck entering the final furlong, writes Tom O'Ryan.
Romance the victor in rough race
Van Zanten was livid when the Jambos midfielder hit the deck to win a penalty.
Football: DAVID CON CLAIM
Flynn, who is based with trainer Philip Hobbs, hit the deck when his mount Derring Bridge came down at the eighth fence in the South West Racing Club Handicap Chase, which was eventually won by Master Of Illusion.
Flynn out with broken wrist
Van Zanten was livid when the Jambos midfielder hit the deck under his challenge after 56 minutes to win a penalty in Hearts 3-1 win.
Football: STEWART BLAST
The jockey hit the deck heavily when his Charlie Egerton-trained mount Molly Fitz Lad, making stealthy headway at the time, came down at the eighth flight in
Racing News: Williamson out with knee injury