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hit the brake

English translation: to step on the brakes hard and fast


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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:hit the brake
English translation:to step on the brakes hard and fast
Entered by: Darko Kolega
Options:
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- Include in personal glossary

08:40 Jul 29, 2011
English to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Automotive / Cars & Trucks / diagnostics codes (DTCs)
English term or phrase: hit the brake
HIT THE BRAKES even if the vehicle has manual transmission.

not sure what "hit" means here (need some synonym)

thanks!
Darko Kolega
Croatia
Local time: 21:51
To step on the brakes hard and fast
Explanation:
An idiom:

hit the brakes
1. Lit. to step on a vehicle's brakes hard and fast. I came around the curve too fast and had to hit the brakes immediately.
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/hit the brakes

Someone might tell you to "hit the brakes" if you were driving fast and needed to break quickly to avoid an accident.

It can also be used metaphorically in non-driving contexts.

You could say "Apply the brakes sharply"?
Selected response from:

ClaraVal
Spain
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +7To step on the brakes hard and fast
ClaraVal
4 +4apply the brakesFionaT
4 +3step on/apply the brakes
Jenni Lukac
5step on the brake pedal
airmailrpl
4Step (down) on the brake
Thayenga


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +7
To step on the brakes hard and fast


Explanation:
An idiom:

hit the brakes
1. Lit. to step on a vehicle's brakes hard and fast. I came around the curve too fast and had to hit the brakes immediately.
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/hit the brakes

Someone might tell you to "hit the brakes" if you were driving fast and needed to break quickly to avoid an accident.

It can also be used metaphorically in non-driving contexts.

You could say "Apply the brakes sharply"?

ClaraVal
Spain
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jeux de Mots
0 min
  -> Thank you!
agree  amarpaul
2 hrs
  -> Thank you :-)
agree  Liz Broomfield
3 hrs
  -> Thank you!
neutral  airmailrpl: to break quickly ??
3 hrs
agree  B D Finch
6 hrs
  -> Thank you
agree  eski
7 hrs
  -> Thanks!
agree  Polangmar
7 hrs
  -> Thank you
agree  klp
2 days4 hrs
  -> Thank you
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Step (down) on the brake


Explanation:
You put your foot down on the brake in order to stop the car.
"Hit" refers to quickly(real fast) pressing your foot down on the break.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 mins (2011-07-29 08:45:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

To stop the car immediately/at once.

Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 21:51
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
step on/apply the brakes


Explanation:
This is what occurs to me. "Apply" would be the most common word.

Jenni Lukac
Local time: 21:51
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  airmailrpl: -
1 hr
  -> Cheers and thanks, airmail.
agree  Phong Le
1 day2 hrs
  -> Cheers and thanks, Phong Le. Have a pleasant weekend.
agree  Thuy-PTT
5 days
  -> Thanks very much, Thuy.
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6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
apply the brakes


Explanation:
apply the brakes or just "brake" (verb) are other ways to say it, although I would say that hit the brakes implies braking hard or suddenly.

FionaT
Netherlands
Local time: 21:51
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in DutchDutch

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jack Doughty: I don't think "hit the brakes" necessarily implies hard or sudden; it could do, but it depends on context.
11 mins
  -> Yes you're right, I should have said "could imply". Thanks, Jack.
agree  Shera Lyn Parpia: withiut more context, this would be my choice
4 hrs
  -> Thanks, Shera Lyn.
agree  Tina Vonhof: and with Jack.
6 hrs
  -> Thanks, Tina.
agree  airmailrpl: -
5 days
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
step on the brake pedal


Explanation:
hit the brake => step on the brake pedal

airmailrpl
Brazil
Local time: 16:51
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 36
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