hurry
hurry
Pronunciation
hurry /ˈhʌri/
hur-: /hʌ/
/h/ as in "hat"
/ʌ/ as in "cup"
-ry: /ri/
/r/ as in "red"
/i/ as in "happy"
Word Form Variations
Verb:
hurry (base form)
hurries (third-person singular simple present)
hurrying (present participle)
hurried (simple past, past participle)
Noun:
hurry (singular)
hurries (plural - less common, often implies different instances of hurrying)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
To move or cause to move with great haste; to expedite or accelerate an action or process.
Synonyms: rush, hasten, speed, quicken, hustle
Antonyms: delay, linger, dawdle, procrastinate, slow
To act or make decisions with excessive speed, often leading to mistakes or oversight.
Synonyms: rush, scamp, blunder (if implying a mistake due to speed)
Antonyms: deliberate, consider, ponder, careful
Noun
A state of urgency or great haste; the need to act or move quickly.
Synonyms: rush, haste, urgency, bustle, flurry
Antonyms: leisure, calm, slowness, deliberation, ease
Examples of Use
Books:
"The old man began to hurry, as if the approaching darkness held some forgotten terror." (From a novel, specific title and author may vary but represents common usage in fiction).
"There was no need to hurry; the train wouldn't depart for another hour." (Common usage in descriptive prose).
Newspapers/Online Publications:
"Residents were advised to hurry and complete their evacuation before the storm made landfall." (Associated Press, August 2024)
"The government is in a hurry to pass new legislation on environmental protection." (The Guardian, June 2025)
"Why you shouldn't hurry your morning coffee, according to science." (Healthline, April 2025)
"The team found themselves in a hurry to finish the project before the deadline." (Forbes, March 2025)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film Dialogue: "We've got to hurry! They're gaining on us!" (Common in action or suspense films).
Song Lyrics: "No need to hurry, just take your time, sweet love of mine." (Lyrical example, specific song varies).
Video Game Instructions: "Press 'X' to hurry through dialogue." (Common in RPGs or games with lengthy cutscenes).
Podcast: "In today's episode, we discuss the dangers of trying to hurry economic recovery." (Example from a finance podcast, July 2025).
General Public Discourse:
"I'm in a hurry to get home before the traffic gets bad." (Everyday conversation).
"Don't hurry your decision; think it over carefully." (Advice given in daily life).
"Let's hurry up and get this done so we can relax." (Common instruction or suggestion among colleagues or friends).
"There's no hurry, take your time." (Reassuring phrase).
10 Quotes Using Hurry
"Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset." (Saint Francis de Sales)
"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished." (Lao Tzu)
"You're only here for a short visit. Don't hurry, don't worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way." (Walter Hagen)
"Journalism is literature in a hurry." (Matthew Arnold)
"I'm not afraid of death, but I'm in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first." (Stephen Hawking)
"Most men pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that they hurry past it." (Søren Kierkegaard)
"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened." (Winston Churchill)
"One of the great disadvantages of hurry is that it takes such a long time." (G.K. Chesterton)
"He who sows hurry reaps indigestion." (Robert Louis Stevenson)
"Be quick, but don't hurry." (John Wooden)
Etymology
The word "hurry" as we know it today, meaning "to move or cause to move with great haste," first popped up in English around the late 1500s. Interestingly, one of the earliest known uses of the verb "hurry" is found in the writings of William Shakespeare, around 1594.
Before that, its roots are a bit fuzzy, but scholars believe it likely comes from a Middle English word called "horien," which meant "to rush or impel." This "horien" might have been a variation of an even older word, "hurren," which described something vibrating rapidly or buzzing, like an insect.
If we go back even further, some linguists connect "hurry" to a very old Proto-Germanic word, "*hurzaną," which also meant "to rush." This ancient root seems to be related to words in other Germanic languages that describe quick movement or whirring.
So, in simple terms, "hurry" seems to have evolved from words that described quick, almost buzzing or vibrating movements, eventually settling into its modern meaning of moving or acting with speed.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Hurry
In a hurry: To be rushed or pressed for time.
Hurry up: To speed up or quicken one's pace.
No hurry: There is no need to rush; take your time.
What's the hurry?: A question asking why someone is rushing.
Hurry-scurry: A state of confused haste or rushing around.
To hurry along: To encourage someone or something to move faster.
Hurry-burry: (Less common) Similar to hurry-scurry, a state of rushing.
Hurry and wait: A situation where you are rushed to get somewhere, only to have to wait upon arrival.
In no hurry: Not feeling the need to rush.
Don't hurry the shot: (Figurative, often in sports) Don't rush your attempt; take your time to execute it properly.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of hurry from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
