means To strike something with force, or — by extension — a notable success such as a popular song, film, or website visit.

from From Old English 'hyttan' or 'hittan,' meaning 'to come upon, meet with,' a borrowing from Old Norse 'hitta,' 'to light upon, find.' The original sense was less about violence than discovery — to 'hit' upon something was to chance across it, which is why we still speak of hitting the mark or hitting it big. The meaning of 'forceful blow' grew up over centuries, and the 'a hit' sense of a great success blossomed only in the 19th and 20th centuries, as theater, music, and later the internet all wanted a word for the lucky strike that lands.