hurly: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (Archaic/Literary)Archaic, Literary, Poetic. Almost exclusively found in historical or poetic contexts.
Quick answer
What does “hurly” mean?
Noisy excitement or commotion.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Noisy excitement or commotion; tumult, uproar.
A state of bustling activity, often chaotic or rough. An archaic/literary term for a noisy disturbance or riotous tumult.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally archaic and rare in both varieties. No significant difference in usage.
Connotations
Conjures a Shakespearean or historical feel. Implies a more rustic, chaotic, and loud commotion than modern synonyms.
Frequency
Virtually never used in contemporary spoken or written English outside of quotations or deliberate stylistic choice.
Grammar
How to Use “hurly” in a Sentence
[the] + hurly + [of + NOUN PHRASE][preposition] + the hurlyVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hurly” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (Obsolete) Not used.
American English
- (Obsolete) Not used.
adverb
British English
- (Obsolete) Not used.
American English
- (Obsolete) Not used.
adjective
British English
- (Obsolete/Rare) 'A hurly mob' (a tumultuous crowd).
American English
- (Obsolete/Rare) 'A hurly crowd'.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Only in literary or historical studies, e.g., "Shakespeare's depiction of the hurly of battle."
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hurly”
- Using it as a modern synonym for 'hurry'.
- Using it without the hyphenated 'hurly-burly' in modern contexts.
- Mispronouncing it as /ˈhɜːrli/ (her-lee) instead of the correct /ˈhɜːrli/ (hur-lee).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an archaic or literary word. In modern English, it is almost exclusively used in the fixed compound 'hurly-burly'.
They are near synonyms, but 'hurly' is archaic and implies a more physically rough or tumultuous commotion, while 'hubbub' is still used today and can refer to a more general loud noise of a crowd.
Only if you are writing in a literary or historical style, or directly quoting. For general academic writing, use more common synonyms like 'commotion' or 'tumult'.
It is a reduplication (a playful rhyming repetition) of 'hurly', which itself comes from the verb 'hurl' in its older sense of throwing or moving with force and noise.
Noisy excitement or commotion.
Hurly is usually archaic, literary, poetic. almost exclusively found in historical or poetic contexts. in register.
Hurly: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhəːli/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhɜːrli/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “hurly-burly”
- “the hurly of the street”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'hurly' as the HURLING (throwing) of noise and confusion.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMOTION IS A PHYSICAL STORM (hurly evokes the hurling force of a storm).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'hurly' be LEAST appropriate?