Origin of Phrases - D
Drop the hammer
Meaning: To kill someone.
Example: During the Ted Kazinski trial, the big question was not his guilt but if the jury would drop the hammer and call for the death penalty.
Origin: The "hammer" is the hammer of a gun. When the gun is cocked, the hammer has been pulled back. Pulling the trigger drops the hammer onto the cartridge, firing the gun. Popularized by the seemingly tireless stream of police dramas on television.