Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

hit the fan

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.79 in modern English

Syllables: hit the -fan
IPA

18

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To have a dramatic, usually negative, effect.

Intransitive verb

Example Sentences

"They were just clowning around, when suddenly it all hit the fan."
"Then the shit really hit the fan."
"Let me ask you, Congressman, the case of a lot of these corporate scandals, I followed enough of them to know how -- how it works out. Once everything starts hitting the fan, the CEO, the chairman or maybe a large share of the board of directors simply leaves, resigns"

Etymology

Uncertain. Possibly derived from an old joke: A man in a crowded bar needed to defecate but couldn't find a bathroom, so he went upstairs and used a hole in the floor. Returning, he found everyone had gone except the bartender, who was cowering behind the bar. When the man asked what had happened, the bartender replied, 'Where were you when the shit hit the fan?' Other possible sources include American or Canadian military slang or agricultural manure spreaders.

Usage

Intransitive verb

Inflected Forms

hits the fan (present, singular) hitting the fan (participle, present)

Phrases

shit happens shit rolls downhill shit show shower of shit

Frequently Paired Words

shit happens shit rolls downhill shit show shitstorm shower of shit

Questions

What does hit the fan mean?: To have a dramatic, usually negative, effect.
Where does hit the fan come from?: Uncertain. Possibly derived from an old joke: A man in a crowded bar needed to defecate but couldn't find a bathroom, so he went upstairs and used a hole in the floor. Returning, he found everyone had gone except the bartender, who was cowering behind the bar. When the man asked what had happened, the bartender replied, 'Where were you when the shit hit the fan?' Other possible sources include American or Canadian military slang or agricultural manure spreaders.

How to pronounce hit the fan

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