hurry

American  

[hur-ee, huhr-ee] / ˈhɜr i, ˈhʌr i /

verb (used without object)

hurried, hurrying

1. to move, proceed, or act with haste (often followed byup ).

   Hurry, or we'll be late. Hurry up, it's starting to rain.

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verb (used with object)

hurried, hurrying

1. to drive, carry, or cause to move or perform with speed.

   Synonyms:

   hasten

2. to hasten; urge forward (often followed byup ).

   Synonyms:

   hustle, expedite, quicken, accelerate

   Antonyms:

   slow, delay

3. to impel or perform with undue haste.

   to hurry someone into a decision.

noun

plural

hurries

1. a state of urgency or eagerness.

   to be in a hurry to meet a train.

2. hurried movement or action; haste.

   Synonyms:

   ado, bustle, quickness, speed, dispatch, expedition, celerity

   Antonyms:

   deliberation

hurry British  

/ ˈhʌrɪ /

verb

1. to hasten (to do something); rush

2. to speed up the completion, progress, etc, of

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noun

1. haste

2. urgency or eagerness

3. informal

   1. easily

      you won't beat him in a hurry

   2. willingly

      we won't go there again in a hurry

Related Words

See rush ¹.

Other Word Forms

• hurrying noun
• hurryingly adverb
• overhurry verb
• unhurrying adjective
• unhurryingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of hurry

First recorded in 1580–90; expressive word of uncertain origin, compare Middle English horyed (attested once) “rushed, impelled,” Middle High German hurren “to move quickly”

Example Sentences

The economic data have given officials little reason to hurry.

From Barron's

“But hurry up, because this is really funny!”

From Literature

Selkie swam around to Sea Lion Point and sat and barked for Nim to hurry up.

From Literature

We’re sports fans, so if it’s football season, we have to hurry up and get back to my house for the game.

From Los Angeles Times

Some Iranians, hurrying about their day, demurred from speaking.

From BBC

Related Words

• dash
• hasten
• hustle
• jog
• rush
• scoot
• scurry
• whirl
• whisk
• zip