Hit it off dates from as early as 1780, and was used the same as the modern 'hit on' only from 1970.
Hit the nail on the head is recorded as early as 1570, but had nothing to do with hammers. This was an archery reference.
Hit the hay is first seen in 1912, which is strange as by then few mattresses would have been stuffed with hay.
Hit the bricks dates from 1909. Not heard today, it was trade union slang and referred to going on strike.
Hit (someone) up, to request something of someone, dates from 1917.
Not know what hit them is first seen in print in 1923.
Hit the road appears in print for the first time in 1873.
Hit and run has had no less than three lives. The vehicular reference is first seen in 1924; later this was also used for a military strike, first appearing in 1940; but the earliest, and probably the most obvious, is the baseball reference from 1899.
Hit the bottle is not seen before 1933, although 'hit the booze' had been in use since at least 1899.
Hit song/record/film/ etc dates as early as 1811, when it was used to refer to plays and shows.
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