Legal Definitions - hit

The term "hit" has several distinct meanings depending on the context, particularly in legal and technical fields:

• 1. A Physical Strike

  This refers to a forceful physical contact or blow.

  • Example 1: During a heated argument, one individual forcefully shoves another, causing them to stumble.

    Explanation: The act of forcefully shoving constitutes a physical strike, or a "hit," in this context.

  • Example 2: A baseball pitcher throws a fastball that makes direct contact with the batter's helmet.

    Explanation: The impact of the ball on the helmet is a physical strike, or a "hit."

• 2. Criminal Law: Contract Murder

  In criminal law, a "hit" refers to a murder that is premeditated and carried out, often for financial gain or at the command of an organized crime figure or group.

  • Example 1: A corrupt politician arranges for a rival to be killed to prevent them from testifying in a corruption trial, promising a large sum of money to the perpetrator.

    Explanation: This scenario describes a murder committed for money and on specific orders, fitting the definition of a "hit."

  • Example 2: A drug cartel leader issues an order to eliminate a member of a rival gang who has encroached on their territory.

    Explanation: This illustrates a murder committed on orders from a gang leader, which is commonly referred to as a "hit" in criminal circles.

• 3. Criminal Law: Drug Consumption

  In the context of drug use, this refers to a single instance or dose of consuming an illicit substance.

  • Example 1: An individual takes a puff from a crack cocaine pipe.

    Explanation: This act represents a single instance of taking a drug, commonly referred to as a "hit."

  • Example 2: Someone snorts a line of cocaine.

    Explanation: This is another example of a single instance of drug consumption, fitting the definition of a "hit."

• 4. Intellectual Property/Web Analytics: Webpage Connection

  In the realm of intellectual property and web analytics, a "hit" denotes each individual request made by a web browser to a server for a specific file (like an image, script, or HTML page) that makes up a webpage. It's a measure of server activity, not necessarily unique visitors.

  • Example 1: When a user visits an online shopping page, their browser requests the main HTML document, five product images, and two JavaScript files from the server.

    Explanation: Each of these eight individual file requests (one HTML, five images, two JavaScript) counts as a "hit." Thus, viewing one page can generate multiple "hits."

  • Example 2: A website administrator reviews server logs to see how many times a specific PDF brochure file was downloaded by visitors.

    Explanation: Each successful download request for the PDF file is recorded as a "hit," indicating server interaction with that specific asset.

• 5. Intellectual Property/Search Engines: Search Result

  In the context of internet search, a "hit" refers to a specific webpage or document that a search engine identifies as relevant to a user's search query because it contains keywords or phrases matching what the user typed.

  • Example 1: A student searches for "history of Roman architecture" on a search engine. The results page displays a list of links to various academic articles and educational websites.

    Explanation: Each link to a webpage that the search engine deems relevant to the query is considered a "hit."

  • Example 2: A lawyer uses a legal research database to find court cases containing the phrase "breach of contract." The database returns numerous case summaries.

    Explanation: Each case summary identified by the database that matches the search criteria is a "hit."

• 6. Popular or Commercial Success

  This refers to a creative product, such as a song, movie, book, or video game, that achieves widespread popularity or significant commercial success.

  • Example 1: A new video game is released and quickly sells millions of copies worldwide, receiving rave reviews from critics and players alike.

    Explanation: The game's immense sales and critical acclaim make it a commercial and popular "hit."

  • Example 2: An author's latest novel becomes a bestseller, staying on the top of the charts for several months and being adapted into a major film.

    Explanation: The novel's widespread popularity and commercial success, evidenced by its bestseller status and film adaptation, qualify it as a "hit."