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ballyhoo

[ noun bal-ee-hoo; verb bal-ee-hoo, bal-ee-hoo ]
/ noun ˈbæl iˌhu; verb ˈbæl iˌhu, ˌbæl iˈhu /
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noun, plural bal·ly·hoos.

a clamorous and vigorous attempt to win customers or advance any cause; blatant advertising or publicity.
clamor or outcry.
a halfbeak, Hemiramphus brasiliensis, inhabiting both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

verb (used with or without object), bal·ly·hooed, bal·ly·hoo·ing.

to advertise or push by ballyhoo.

RELATED WORDS

laud, proclaim, praise, publicize, promote, trumpet, offer, encourage, introduce, benefit, push, further, boost, disclose, exhibit, reveal, communicate, tout, sponsor, endorse

Nearby words

  1. balls-up,
  2. ballsy,
  3. ballup,
  4. ballwin,
  5. bally,
  6. ballymena,
  7. ballymoney,
  8. ballyrag,
  9. balm,
  10. balm of gilead

Origin of ballyhoo

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40; of uncertain origin
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for ballyhooed

British Dictionary definitions for ballyhooed

ballyhoo

/ (ˌbælɪˈhuː) /

noun informal

a noisy, confused, or nonsensical situation or uproar
sensational or blatant advertising or publicity

verb -hoos, -hooing or -hooed

(tr) mainly US to advertise or publicize by sensational or blatant methods

Word Origin for ballyhoo

C19: of uncertain origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for ballyhooed

ballyhoo

n.

"publicity, hype," 1908, from circus slang, "a short sample of a sideshow" (1901), of unknown origin. There is a village of Ballyhooly in County Cork, Ireland. In nautical lingo, ballahou or ballahoo (1867, perhaps 1836) meant "an ungainly vessel," from Spanish balahu "schooner."

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper