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hurry

UK[ˈhʌr.i]US[ˈhɝː.i]
v

to move or act with great or excessive speed

v

to cause to move or proceed with haste

n

great haste or urgency in movement or action

n

a need for haste; urgency

Etymology

the verb 'hurry' first appeared in english in the late 16th century. its origin is obscure but it is thought to be onomatopoeic or expressive, perhaps imitative of the sound or feeling of rushed motion, or possibly a variant of the middle english 'horien' meaning 'to rush, to harass'. it is not derived from classical roots but emerged as a vivid colloquial term for haste. the word successfully entered the standard lexicon, filling a need for a simple, forceful term to describe acting with speed, often under pressure, and eventually also generated the noun form to describe the state or instance of such rushed activity.

Analysis

the word 'hurry' is a simplex word of uncertain origin, likely imitative or expressive in nature. it is not productively formed from separable morphemes in modern english.

Examples

we need to hurry if we want to catch the last train.

don't hurry your decision; take your time to think it over.

she was in a terrible hurry to finish the report before the deadline.

hurry – Meaning, Etymology & Word Origin | OpenEtymology