over the head

English

Prepositional phrase

over the head

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see over,‎ the,‎ head.

   She hit me over the head with a baseball bat.

2. Dished out in an overly censorious way.
   • 1982 August 28, Andrea Loewenstein, “Becker's Experience Talks Back”, in Gay Community News, volume 10, number 7, page 11:

     Her exploration of emotion, too, is slightly muted. You have to stop and consult yourself. Pain — or joy or passion — creep up afterwards. These poems never hit you over the head.

   After I said that, they would not give me a break. They just kept beating me over the head with it.

Usage notes

• Usually preceded by verbs of impact like hit, beat, or knock.

See also

• over one's head
• hang over one's head

Further reading

• “hit/beat/knock someone over the head” (US) / “hit/beat/knock someone over the head” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary.
• “hit over the head”, in Collins English Dictionary.