hurtle
UK[ˈhɜːtl]US[ˈhɜːrtl]
v
to move or fall with great speed and force, often in a noisy or uncontrolled way
v
to cause something to move in such a way
Etymology
The verb 'hurtle' emerged in Middle English, around the 13th century, as a frequentative form of the now-obsolete verb 'hurt'. This older verb meant 'to strike' or 'to knock', and itself likely originated from an onomatopoeic or expressive Germanic base, imitating the sound of a collision or rapid movement. The '-le' suffix, common in English, adds a sense of repeated or continuous action. Thus, the etymological logic progresses from an ancient sound-symbolic root suggesting impact, to a verb meaning 'to strike', and finally to its modern sense of moving or causing to move with violent, repeated, and noisy speed.
Analysis
This is a simplex word of imitative or expressive origin, formed within English. Its functional role is as a verb, likely mimicking the sound or sensation of rapid, noisy motion.
Examples
The rocks continued to hurtle down the mountainside.
The train hurtled through the dark tunnel.
He lost control and hurtled the ball into the stands.