# hurry

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈhʌ.ɹi/ · frequency rank #5,690

## Definitions
1. A rushed action.
2. An urgency.
3. An incidence of a defensive pressure that forces the quarterback to throw the ball earlier than intended or rush their decision, often leading to an incomplete pass or failed play.
4. A tremolando passage for violins, etc., accompanying an exciting situation.

## Etymology
From Middle English horien (“to rush, impel”), probably a variation of hurren (“to vibrate rapidly, buzz”), from Proto-Germanic *hurzaną (“to rush”) (compare Middle High German hurren (“to hasten”), Norwegian hurre (“to whirl around”)), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- (“to run”) (compare Latin currō (“to run”), Tocharian A kursär/Tocharian B kwarsär (“league; course”)). Related to hurr, horse, rush.
Alternative etymology derives hurry as a variant of harry.

## Easily confused with
- **hurt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hurry-vs-hurt)
- **hurts** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hurry-vs-hurts)
- **husky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hurry-vs-husky)
- **hurst** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hurry-vs-hurst)
- **Hur** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hur-vs-hurry)
- **Herr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/herr-vs-hurry)
- **Huey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/huey-vs-hurry)
- **Hurd** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hurd-vs-hurry)
- **hurl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hurl-vs-hurry)
- **henry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/henry-vs-hurry)
- **harry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harry-vs-hurry)
- **hardy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hardy-vs-hurry)
- **hairy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hairy-vs-hurry)
- **horny** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/horny-vs-hurry)
- **hubby** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hubby-vs-hurry)
- **Huron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/huron-vs-hurry)
- **hunky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hunky-vs-hurry)
- **hungry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hungry-vs-hurry)
- **hourly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hourly-vs-hurry)
- **hurley** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hurley-vs-hurry)

## Common misspellings (6)
`hhurry`, `hrury`, `hurryy`, `hury`, `huryr`, `uhrry`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/hurry