Hammered

Hammered is the past participle of the verb hammer and is used as an adjective in a variety of senses. It can describe the action of striking or pounding with a hammer, the result of such action on a material, or the texture or finish produced by repeated hammer blows.

In crafts and manufacturing, hammering is a forming process in which metal, wood, or other materials are shaped or textured by repeated blows. Surfaces such as hammered copper or hammered steel refer to the textured, dimpled finish created by this technique. Hammering can be done by hand or by machinery such as power hammers and presses.

In slang, hammered means extremely drunk or intoxicated. It is informal and common in North American English, with synonyms including sloshed or plastered. The term may be considered vulgar in formal writing or sensitive contexts.

Other uses include its role in music and instrument construction: in piano design, hammers inside the instrument strike the strings, producing sound; the name hammered dulcimer describes a string instrument whose strings are struck by hammers or mallets. The term can also describe something that has been severely damaged or battered as a result of heavy blows.