early 15c., liniament, "distinctive feature of the body, outline," from Latin lineamentum "contour, outline; a feature," literally "a line, stroke, mark," from lineare "to reduce to a straight line" (here apparently in an unrecorded sense "trace lines"), from linea "string, thread, line" (see line (n.)). Figurative sense of "a characteristic" is attested from 1630s.
early 14c., "to fasten or gird with a belt," from belt (n.). The meaning "to thrash as with a belt" is from 1640s; the general sense of "to hit, thrash" is attested from 1838. The colloquial meaning "to sing or speak vigorously" is from 1949. Related: Belted; belting. Hence (from the "thrash with a belt" sense) the noun meaning "a blow or stroke" (1885).
mid-14c., "act of chopping, cutting with a quick blow," from chop (v.1). Meaning "piece cut off" is mid-15c.; specifically "slice of mutton, lamb, or pork" (usually cut from the loin and containing the rib) is from 1630s, probably from being "chopped" from the loin. Sense of "a blow, strike" is from 1550s. Specific cricket/baseball sense of "a downward stroke with the bat" is by 1888.
mid-15c., "light blow or stroke," probably imitative of a light blow with a whip. Earliest recorded use is in phrase not worth a flykke "useless." Meaning "quick turn of the wrist" is from 1897 in sports. As slang for "film," it is first attested 1926, a back-formation from flicker (v.), from their flickering appearance.
also down-beat, 1876, "the first note of a measure of music" (as indicated by the downward stroke of a conductor's baton or hand). It is attested by 1952 as an adjective in the figurative sense of "pessimistic," but that is probably via associations of the word down (adv.), because the beat itself is no more pessimistic than the upbeat is optimistic.
1690s, "having the hand turned backward;" see back (adv.) + hand (n.). By 1894 in reference to handwriting that flows at a back-slant. As a verb, by 1857. As a noun, in reference to tennis, 1890, short for backhand stroke or volley. The figurative adjectival sense of "indirect" is from c. 1800. Related: Backhanded; backhanding.
1879 in reference to a tennis stroke; 1909 as a noun in this sense; from fore- + hand (n.). Earlier it meant "position in front or above" (1550s); hence forehanded "prudent, careful of the future" (1640s), which came to mean "well-provided, well-to-do," a sense which lingered in New England into 19c.
late 15c., "a rebuke;" 1590s, "a blow, stroke," from hit (v.). Meaning "successful play, song, person," etc., 1811, is from the verbal sense of "to hit the mark, succeed" (c. 1400). Underworld slang meaning "a killing" is from 1970, from the criminal slang verb meaning "to kill by plan" (1955). Meaning "dose of narcotic" is 1951, from phrases such as hit the bottle.
"contemptible person," 1790, Scottish and Northern, earlier "a sudden slap, stroke, or blow" (1785), perhaps from Old Norse skyt-, from skjota "to shoot" (compare skit, and see shoot (v.)).
Also perhaps from or influenced by dialectal skit (n.), Middle English skite "dysentery, diarrhea" (mid-14c., c. 1200 in surnames), from Old Norse skitr "to shit."
