hit the hay

Related to hit the hay: hit the sack, Idioms, knows the ropes

hit the hay

To get into bed and go to sleep. I have to get up early for work tomorrow, so I think I'd better hit the hay.
See also: hay, hit
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

hit the hay

 and hit the sack
Fig. to go to bed. I have to go home and hit the hay pretty soon. Let's hit the sack. We have to get an early start in the morning.
See also: hay, hit
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

hit the hay

Also, hit the sack. Go to bed, as in I usually hit the hay after the eleven o'clock news, or I'm tired, let's hit the sack. The first colloquial expression dates from the early 1900s, the variant from about 1940.
See also: hay, hit
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

hit the hay

go to bed. informal
See also: hay, hit
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

hit the ˈsack/ˈhay

(informal) go to bed: I think it’s time to hit the sack. Sack and hay both refer to simple beds. In the past a bed was often just a sack or piece of rough cloth with hay inside. Sailors in the navy also slept in hammocks (= a type of bed hung between two posts, etc.) similar to sacks.
See also: hay, hit, sack
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

hit the hay

and hit the sack
tv. to go to bed. Time to go home and hit the hay! Let’s hit the sack. We have to get an early start in the morning.
See also: hay, hit
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

hit the hay/sack, to

Go to bed, go to sleep. The first expression dates from about 1900 and presumably alludes to a hayloft as a soft bed. A sports book of 1905 held it to be baseball players’ slang. The second term dates from World War II, although sack for “bed” originated in the U.S. Navy in the 1820s.
See also: hay, hit
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • hit the hay/sack, to
  • hit the sack/hay
  • hit the sack
  • hit the
  • hit the books
  • hit out for (some place)
  • (and) that ain't hay
  • and that ain't hay
  • That ain’t hay!
  • that ain't hay
References in periodicals archive
I hit the hay past midnight, and thankfully make it to brunch at Vista the next morning.
Class Rooms
and shearing has been ploughing Derek Farmer for too long and he wants someone for the furrow to hit the hay with.
tv choice
Take this opportunity to luxuriate in the bath, fix fabulous food, and hit the hay early.
Your Stars for the week with Russell Grant
Twice last year he went to bed on Saturday in the driving seat and both times he hit the hay the following night in the dunce's hat having thrown it all away.
THE THURSDAY COLUMN: Why bottling golfers could be rarer in future tournaments
So if you're not quite ready to hit the hay, and you don't want to cross the river for the drag show at boy-bar Faces Dance Club and Cabaret (130 4th St.
ROAD TRIP TO ST. LOUIS
When you' re ready to hit the hay, you can do so in five or ten minutes, after just brushing your teeth, pulling off your clothes, and sliding into bed.
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Back in 2014, the Croydon native admitted he used Twitter to find ladies to hit the hay with, sending out up to 20 tweets a day and bedding 200 women in one year alone.
Danniella Westbrook's new man exposed as a Twitter love rat who's bedded 'HUNDREDS' of women and lived with his mum; EXCLUSIVE: The EastEnders actress says the social media influencer has restored her faith in love
This also explains the American phrase 'hit the hay' and 'sleep tight' (underneath the mattress were ropes that were pulled tight to keep it firm).
Bard core; Stratford-upon-Avon in three acts - a cream tea, an historic tour and a Shakespeare play
Pro tip: When you're ready to hit the hay, pop in a movie.
Slay your sleepover: sleep all day and party all night with our guide to girls night in
If you feel tired when you wake up, you need to hit the hay earlier.
Time to get training for a fit festive; Expert's tips to keep your healthy regime going through the holidays
If you're not getting enough sleep, it could be due to your activities before you hit the hay.
Avoid These Before Bedtime
It might be tempting to use the weekends to recoup your sleep debt, but Nan Waldman recommendsyou hit the hay and wake up around the same time every single day.
10 Changes to Make in Your 30s that Will Set You Up for Lifelong Success
"Let's see, yes, I know, I leave them outside.'' A few seconds later, he corrected himself: "No, no, I don't, by gosh, I tuck them in.'' But he seemed confused, and said he'd check when he hit the hay that night.
Thinking twice about thinking too much
Fed and watered, we moseyed on down to Billy Bob's to listen to some live country and Western music before deciding it was time to hit the hay, pardner.
Rolling back the ears; Nigel Thompson and daughter Alex visit Disneyland Paris for the first time since 1996..with a more grown-up agenda
'Let's go hit the hay.' I strolled over to take another look through the protective fence, down the canyon below at the myriad of toy cars.
MORNINGSERIAL; The Songbird is Singing