# hurry

/ˈhɝi/ (US) · /hˈʌɹi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hurry
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to move quickly

verb · CEFR A2

to move or act fast because you are in a rush.

For teachers: to move, proceed, or act with haste, often due to time constraints.

- We need to hurry if we want to catch the last train home.
- The commuters hurried through the station, barely glancing at the departures board as the final whistle blew for the express service.

Usage: Often used as an intransitive verb or with 'up' to increase speed.

### 2. to make someone go faster

verb · CEFR B1

to make someone else move or finish something more quickly.

For teachers: to urge or impel someone to greater speed or more rapid action.

- Don't hurry me while I am trying to finish this difficult task.
- The manager attempted to hurry the design team, but they insisted that rushing the final phase would compromise the product's safety.

Usage: Transitive use; takes a direct object.

### 3. a state of urgency

noun · CEFR A2

the need to move or act quickly.

For teachers: a state of urgency or eagerness that requires rapid action.

- I am in a hurry because my meeting starts in five minutes.
- In his hurry to leave the office before the storm broke, he inadvertently left his laptop charger plugged into the wall.

Usage: Commonly used in the fixed expression 'in a hurry'.

### 4. American football pressure

noun · CEFR C2 · American English · Technical

when a defensive player forces the quarterback to throw the ball too early.

For teachers: an instance of defensive pressure that forces a quarterback to release the ball prematurely.

- The defense got a hurry on the quarterback, causing an incomplete pass.
- Despite failing to record a sack, the defensive end's consistent hurries disrupted the offensive rhythm throughout the second half.

### 5. dramatic music

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Archaic

fast music played during an exciting or scary scene in a play.

For teachers: a rapid, tremolando musical passage intended to accompany an exciting or tense stage situation.

- The orchestra played a hurry as the hero chased the villain across the stage.
- The conductor signaled for a violin hurry to heighten the tension during the climactic sword fight in the third act.

## Examples

- I am in a hurry to catch my bus.
- She left the office in a great hurry because she forgot to pick up her children from school.
- The sudden hurry to finalize the contract before the fiscal year ended led to several minor clerical errors that required correction later.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.