take a hike

idiomatic phrase

variants or less commonly take a walk
informal
: to go away : leave
They paid Miss Beane to take a hike. She came back when the money ran out …Darryl Pinckney
Ewing's dissatisfaction with a sinking team and the absence of a person in the organization with whom he feels close would seem to make him all too willing to take a hike.Jack McCallum
"But after someone does her in, you'll swing into action. Then you'll be able to spare a dozen men." "Take a walk," Quirk said.Robert B. Parker
"I was lucky enough to get the job with the Cubs 20 years ago and I'm going to hang on to it until they tell me to go take a hike."Pat Hughes

Examples of take a hike in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Belichick was also snapped solo taking a hike up a rocky hillside with a walking stick, as well as carrying a set of clubs along the Sankaty Head Golf Club in Massachusetts. Escher Walcott, People.com, 20 Oct. 2024 The pair take a hike and the trouble begins as a man tracks them during the journey. Nicole Fell, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Sep. 2024 The deal marked a dramatic turn from just weeks earlier when Redstone told Ellison — and by extension, his tech-billionaire dad, Larry Ellison — as well as his private equity backers to take a hike. Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2024 Volunteer to help remove invasive plants or plant trees and take a hike to look for wildflowers or birds. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for take a hike 

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of take a hike was in 1944

Dictionary Entries Near take a hike

Cite this Entry

“Take a hike.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20a%20hike. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on take a hike

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!