hurdle
a portable barrier over which contestants must leap in certain running races, usually a wooden frame with a hinged inner frame that swings down under impact to prevent injury to a runner who does not clear it.
hurdles, (used with a singular verb) a race in which contestants must leap over a number of such barriers placed at specific intervals around the track.: Compare high hurdles, low hurdles.
any of various vertical barriers, as a hedge, low wall, or section of fence, over which horses must jump in certain types of turf races, as a steeplechase, but especially an artificial barrier.
a difficult problem to be overcome; obstacle.
Chiefly British. a movable rectangular frame of interlaced twigs, crossed bars, or the like, as for a temporary fence.
a frame or sled on which criminals, especially traitors, were formerly drawn to the place of execution.
to leap over (a hurdle, barrier, fence, etc.), as in a race.
to master (a difficulty, problem, etc.); overcome.
to construct with hurdles; enclose with hurdles.
to leap over a hurdle or other barrier.
Origin of hurdle
1Other words from hurdle
- hurdler, noun
- un·hur·dled, adjective
Words that may be confused with hurdle
Words Nearby hurdle
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use hurdle in a sentence
Still, developing-nation researchers face a number of hurdles.
These countries aren’t waiting for a U.S., China, or U.K. COVID vaccine | Claire Zillman, reporter | August 26, 2020 | FortuneThe idea still has hurdles to clear before it can be put into practice, but researchers reached for comment were generally intrigued by its potential.
Can Vaccines for Wildlife Prevent Human Pandemics? | Rodrigo Pérez Ortega | August 24, 2020 | Quanta MagazineJust compare those hurdles with what the banks must accomplish to beat the odds.
Despite Warren Buffett’s selloff, bank stocks look like great buys in this market | Shawn Tully | August 18, 2020 | FortuneAs with any significant change to how Google presents its results pages, zero-click is not as much of a hurdle as you might think.
How to adapt SEO strategies for the zero-click search landscape | Edward Coram James | June 8, 2020 | Search Engine WatchPost acknowledges there have been some initial hurdles to online learning.
Learning will change with COVID-19’s social distancing | Rachel Kehoe | April 9, 2020 | Science News For Students
Once I got over that hurdle, it was as if a huge weight had lifted and I was not scared anymore.
In the meantime, just as the bill passed its first hurdle, snow flakes started to fall down on the Capitol.
Quirky Reindeer Farmer Keeps Government Open for Christmas | Ben Jacobs | December 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAs the recruitment process begins, the question of motivation could also prove to be a hurdle.
U.S. Hasn’t Even Started Training Rebel Army to Fight ISIS | Tim Mak | November 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe final hurdle was a longtime city policy against nicknames in street signs.
How Brooklyn’s First Ice Cream Girl Fought City Hall–and Won | Michael Daly | October 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBut atheists face an additional hurdle—our moral credentials are called into question.
Loud, Proud, and Atheist: ‘Openly Secular’ Encourages Nonbelievers to Come Out of the Closet | Vlad Chituc | September 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTA bamboo hurdle was quickly made, and the store of flesh was placed on it and easily carried on the shoulders of the men.
Alila, Our Little Philippine Cousin | Mary Hazelton WadeAs he got there the day began to dawn, and he leaned over a hurdle and beheld the shadows flee away.
Tales and Fantasies | Robert Louis StevensonThe construction was little more than a colossal hurdle, having beams for rods and chains in the place of wattles.
Toilers of the Sea | Victor HugoIt had exhibited under the trial the two chief qualities of a breakwater; it had proved flexible as a hurdle and firm as a wall.
Toilers of the Sea | Victor HugoWhen he was quite sick he ran one way, and t'other got up roaring and ran another, and they had to send a hurdle for No. 1.
It Is Never Too Late to Mend | Charles Reade
British Dictionary definitions for hurdle
/ (ˈhɜːdəl) /
athletics one of a number of light barriers over which runners leap in certain events
a low barrier used in certain horse races
an obstacle to be overcome
a light framework of interlaced osiers, wattle, etc, used as a temporary fence
British a sledge on which criminals were dragged to their executions
to jump (a hurdle, etc), as in racing
(tr) to surround with hurdles
(tr) to overcome
Origin of hurdle
1Derived forms of hurdle
- hurdler, noun
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
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