verb
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(tr) to throw or propel with great force
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(tr) to utter with force; yell
to hurl insults
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to transport or be transported in a driven vehicle
noun
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the act or an instance of hurling
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a ride in a driven vehicle
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of hurl
1175–1225; Middle English hurlen, equivalent to hur- (perhaps akin to hurry ) + -len -le; akin to Low German hurreln to toss, Frisian hurreln to roar (said of the wind), dialectal German hurlen to roll, rumble (said of thunder)
Explanation
When you hurl something, you throw it hard. You might hurl your shoe at a horrible bug if it suddenly scuttled across the floor. If you hurl a rock at a glass window, it will probably break, and if you hurl your trash in the direction of a garbage can, it may or may not land inside. The verb hurl implies some force behind your throw. The earliest English version was hurlen, which in the thirteenth century meant "run against each other or collide." It probably comes from the Germanic root hurr, which is also the root of hurry, and means "rapid motion."
Vocabulary lists containing hurl
"The Treasure of Lemon Brown"
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"My Wonder Horse," Vocabulary from the short story
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"Harbor Me" by Jacqueline Woodson
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Declan Hurl, a volunteer with the Red Cross Community Connector Programme, said these decisions could be a slippery slope to wider consequences.
From BBC • Jun. 21, 2022
Moberg’s attorney, Lori W. Hurl, said her client had simply loaned $4,000 to his friend of 35 years.
From Washington Times • Mar. 9, 2020
Lori Hurl, an attorney for Moberg, said her client was considering an appeal.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 7, 2020
He realizes his trek through Springfield won't be complete without a Brain Freezin' D'oh-Nut sundae, and an ice cream Swirl 'n' Hurl.
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2015
There were six posts to be supplied: Harlem, Hurl Gate, Ward's Island, and three others in the harbor or at the Narrows, each of which required one load a week.
From Famous Americans of Recent Times by Parton, James
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
