Definition of the word hit upon

The origin of the phrase "hit upon" can be traced back to the Middle English period (1200-1500). It comes from the Old English phrase "hātan" meaning "to strike" or "to hit," and the preposition "upōn" meaning "upon." Initially, the phrase was used to describe finding something accidentally by chance or by luck. In medieval English literature, "hit upon" was used to describe discoveries in hunting or fishing, as in "He hit upon a good fishing spot by the river bank." Over time, the phrase has become more commonly used to describe a deliberate act of finding something, such as a solution to a problem or an idea for a project. It still retains its original meaning of discovering something unintentionally or unexpectedly. In contemporary English, "hit upon" is often replaced by "come across" or "stumble upon," but it remains a commonly used idiom in both British and American English. The idiom continues to be a part of the English language because it succinctly conveys the idea of happening upon something, whether by chance or by design.