ballyhoo
[ noun bal-ee-hoo; verb bal-ee-hoo, bal-ee-hoo ]
/ noun ˈbæl iˌhu; verb ˈbæl iˌhu, ˌbæl iˈhu /
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.
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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. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for ballyhoo
British Dictionary definitions for ballyhoo
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
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