Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
hurry
I. hur‧ry1 S3 /ˈhʌri $ ˈhɜːri/ verb (past tense and past participle hurried, present participle hurrying, third person singular hurries)
[Word Family: verb: hurry; noun: hurry; adverb: hurriedly; adjective: hurried ≠ unhurried]
[Date: 1600-1700; Origin: Probably copying the action]
1. [intransitive and transitive] to do something or go somewhere more quickly than usual, especially because there is not much time SYN rush:
If we hurry, we’ll get there in time.
I hate having to hurry a meal.
We’ll have to hurry, otherwise we’ll miss the start.
There’s no need to hurry. We’ve got plenty of time.
hurry to do something
They were hurrying to catch their train.
hurry through/along/down etc
She hurried down the corridor as fast as she could.
hurry after
John hurried after his girlfriend.
2. [transitive] to make someone do something more quickly SYN rush:
Don’t hurry me. I’m doing this as fast as I can.
hurry somebody into (doing) something
She doesn’t want to be hurried into making a decision.
3. [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to take someone or something quickly to a place SYN rush
hurry something to/through/across etc something
Emergency supplies have been hurried to the areas worst hit by the famine.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ hurry to go somewhere or do something more quickly than usual, for example because you are late or you must finish something soon: If you don’t hurry, you’ll miss the bus. | We have plenty of time. There’s no need to hurry.
▪ rush to go somewhere very quickly, or to do something too quickly and without thinking carefully enough: Everyone rushed out into the street to see what was happening. | Try to answer the questions calmly, without rushing. | A police car rushed past.
▪ dash to go somewhere very quickly, especially because there is something important or urgent you must do: I’ve got to dash to the shops to get some more milk. | She had to dash off and get the kids from school.
▪ in a hurry/in a rush doing something quickly because you do not have much time, usually with the result that you make mistakes: She had left in a hurry, and forgotten her passport. | I had to choose a present for her in a rush.
▪ get a move on/get moving informal to start to do something or go somewhere more quickly than before: Get a move on – it’s already 8 o'clock! | I think we’d better get moving, it’s only five minutes to boarding time.
▪ get cracking informal to start working quickly: It’s time you got cracking with your homework. | When Alfie arrives we’ll get cracking moving the furniture.
hurry up phrasal verb
1. hurry up! spoken used to tell someone to do something more quickly:
Hurry up! We’re late!
2. hurry somebody/something up to make someone do something more quickly, or to make something happen more quickly:
See if you can hurry things up a little.
II. hurry2 S3 noun
[Word Family: verb: hurry; noun: hurry; adverb: hurriedly; adjective: hurried ≠ unhurried]
1. in a hurry more quickly than usual SYN in a rush:
Sorry, I can’t stop, I’m in a hurry.
You’ll make mistakes if you do things in too much of a hurry.
be in a hurry to do something
Why are you in such a hurry to leave?
► Do not say that you are ‘in hurry’. Say that you are in a hurry.
2. (there’s) no hurry spoken used to tell someone that they do not have to do something quickly or soon:
Pay me back whenever you can. There’s no great hurry.
3. somebody will not be doing something (again) in a hurry spoken used to say that someone does not want to do something again:
We won’t be going back there again in a hurry.
4. in your hurry to do something while you are trying to do something too quickly:
In his hurry to leave the room, he tripped over a chair.
5. be in no hurry/not be in any hurry (to do something)
a) to be able to wait because you have a lot of time in which to do something:
Take your time – I’m not in any hurry.
b) to be unwilling to do something or not want to do it soon:
He was clearly in no hurry to reply to our letter.
6. what’s (all) the hurry?/why (all) the hurry? spoken used to say that someone is doing something too quickly:
We’ve got plenty of time – what’s all the hurry?
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
hurry
hurry [hurry hurries hurried hurrying] verb, noun [ˈhʌri] [ˈhɜːri]
verb (hur·ries, hurry·ing, hur·ried, hur·ried)
1. intransitive to do sth more quickly than usual because there is not much time
Syn: rush
• You'll have to hurry if you want to catch that train.
• The kids hurried to open their presents. In spoken English hurry can be used with and plus another verb, instead of with to and the infinitive, especially to tell somebody to do something quickly
• Hurry and open your present— I want to see what it is!
2. intransitive + adv./prep. to move quickly in a particular direction
Syn: rush
• He picked up his bags and hurried across the courtyard.
• She hurried away without saying goodbye.
• She hurried after Gary to apologize to him.
3. transitive to make sb do sth more quickly
Syn: rush
• ~ sb I don't want to hurry you but we close in twenty minutes.
• ~ sb into doing sth She was hurried into making an unwise choice.
4. transitive ~ sth + adv./prep. to deal with sth quickly
Syn: rush
• Her application was hurried through.
5. transitive, usually passive ~ sth to do sth too quickly
Syn: rush
• A good meal should never be hurried.
Word Origin:
late 16th cent. (as a verb): imitative.
Thesaurus:
hurry verb I, T
• You'll have to hurry to catch that bus.
rush • • dash • • fly • • run • |spoken get a move on • |formal literary hasten •
Opp: dawdle
hurry/rush/run/hasten to do sth
hurry/fly/run along
hurry/rush a meal
Example Bank:
• Ben hurried after her.
• He hurried quickly to the reception desk.
• Hurry up or we'll be late!
• She came hurrying over to greet them.
• She hurried along the corridor.
• She hurried home to tell him the news.
• Hurry and open your present— I want to see what it is.
• Hurry up with the scissors, I need them.
• Hurry up! We're going to be late.
• I don't want to hurry you but we close in twenty minutes.
Idioms: in a hurry ▪ in a hurry to do something ▪ in no hurry ▪ not in a hurry ▪ somebody will not do something again in a hurry
Derived: hurry on ▪ hurry somebody up ▪ hurry up
noun uncountable, singular
the need or wish to get sth done quickly
• Take your time— there's no hurry.
• In my hurry to leave, I forgot my passport.
• What's the hurry? The train doesn't leave for an hour.
Word Origin:
late 16th cent. (as a verb): imitative.
Example Bank:
• I was late for work and in a big hurry.
• In his hurry to leave, he forgot his briefcase.
• She's in no hurry to find out how much her phone bill comes to.
• They were in a hurry to set off.
• Alice was in a tearing hurry, as usual.
• I don't mind waiting— I'm not in any particular hurry.
• In my hurry to leave, I forgot my passport.
• Serve this lady first— I'm in no hurry.
• Sorry, I haven't got time to do it now— I'm in a hurry.
• Take your time— there's no hurry.
• We were in no hurry to get back to work after the break.
• What's the hurry? The train doesn't leave for an hour.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
hurry / ˈhʌr.i / / ˈhɝː- / verb [ I or T ]
A2 to move or do things more quickly than normal or to make someone do this:
Hurry or you'll be late.
[ + to infinitive ] She hurried to answer the phone.
I hate to hurry you, but I have to leave in a few minutes.
Don't hurry your food (= don't eat it too quickly) .
I refuse to be hurried into a decision (= to be forced to make a decision too quickly) .
After spending her lunch hour shopping, she hurried back (= returned quickly) to work.
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