Etymologically
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hurry

Etymology and origin of the English word hurry

History Permalink
Confidence
Uncertain
Formation
Onomatopoeia
First attested
1590

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈhʌ.ɹi/ (UK); /ˈhʌ.ɹi/, /ˈhɝ.i/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is of uncertain origin,[2] probably imitative,[3][4][5] perhaps a variant of harry or a West Midlands sense of Middle English hurren, to vibrate rapidly, buzz,[6][4] from Proto-Germanic *hurza-, to move with haste, source also of Middle High German hurren, to move quickly, and perhaps of hurl.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

To move or act quickly: 1592 in MWU, the 1590s in Etymonline, first recorded in Shakespeare, who used it often.[4][6]

Semantic evolution

In its earliest use it was synonymous with hurly, commotion.[2] The noun first meant commotion or agitation (about 1600),[6][7] a sense now rare, and undue haste from the 1690s.[6] In a hurry is from 1700,[6] and hurry up, make haste, from 1890.[6] The jingling extension hurry-scurry is 18th-century.[2]

Timeline

  • 1590s – to move quickly.[6]
  • c. 1600 – commotion (noun).[7]
  • 1690s – undue haste.[6]
  • 1700 – in a hurry.[6]
  • 1890 – hurry up.[6]

Modern meaning

Verb

  1. To move or act with great haste.
  2. To cause to move or proceed more quickly; to rush.

Noun

  1. Great haste.
  2. A need for haste; urgency: there's no hurry.

Word family

  • hurrier
  • hurryingly
  • hurry-scurry
  • overhurry
  • hurried
  • hurriedly
  • harry
  • hurl
  • scurry

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  7. ^ a b Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Hurry.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/hurry. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·