hurdle

[ hur-dl ]

/ ˈhɜr dl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR hurdle ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a portable barrier over which contestants must leap in certain running races, usually a wooden frame with a hinged inner frame that swings down under impact to prevent injury to a runner who does not clear it.

hurdles, (used with a singular verb) a race in which contestants must leap over a number of such barriers placed at specific intervals around the track. Compare high hurdles, low hurdles.

any of various vertical barriers, as a hedge, low wall, or section of fence, over which horses must jump in certain types of turf races, as a steeplechase, but especially an artificial barrier.

a difficult problem to be overcome; obstacle.

Chiefly British. a movable rectangular frame of interlaced twigs, crossed bars, or the like, as for a temporary fence.

a frame or sled on which criminals, especially traitors, were formerly drawn to the place of execution.

verb (used with object), hur·dled, hur·dling.

to leap over (a hurdle, barrier, fence, etc.), as in a race.

to master (a difficulty, problem, etc.); overcome.

to construct with hurdles; enclose with hurdles.

verb (used without object), hur·dled, hur·dling.

to leap over a hurdle or other barrier.

Origin of hurdle

before 900; Middle English hirdel, hurdel (noun), Old English hyrdel, equivalent to hyrd- + -el noun suffix; compare German Hürde hurdle; akin to Latin crātis hurdle, wickerwork, Greek kýrtos basket, cage, Sanskrit kṛt spin

OTHER WORDS FROM hurdle

hur·dler, noun un·hur·dled, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH hurdle

hurdle hurl hurtle

Words nearby hurdle

huppah, hurban, hurcheon, hurd, hurdies, hurdle, hurdle rate, hurds, hurdy-gurdy, hurl, hurler's syndrome

Example sentences from the Web for hurdle

Once I got over that hurdle, it was as if a huge weight had lifted and I was not scared anymore.

Inside A Finishing School for Transwomen |Sharon Adarlo |December 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
In the meantime, just as the bill passed its first hurdle, snow flakes started to fall down on the Capitol.

Quirky Reindeer Farmer Keeps Government Open for Christmas |Ben Jacobs |December 11, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
As the recruitment process begins, the question of motivation could also prove to be a hurdle.

U.S. Hasn’t Even Started Training Rebel Army to Fight ISIS |Tim Mak |November 25, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
If the two companies can overcome that hurdle, they must then clear three others to secure the exemption they seek.

Why Is the Future of Birth Control In the Hands of the Supreme Court? |Stuart Taylor, Jr. |March 20, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Still, assuming Kasich survives his 2014 reelection race, he easily clears the hurdle of having gotten stuff done.

The Governors Who Could Beat Christie |Michelle Cottle |November 8, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
A hurdle should be well sloped, so as to render the leap a very moderate one.

The Barb and the Bridle |Vielle Moustache
They huddled them together in prisons; just when they were at the point of death they were dragged along on the hurdle.

Bouvard and Pcuchet, part 2 |Gustave Flaubert
To put the Happy Thought straight at the obstruction, like a steeple-chaser at a hurdle—it was a slim chance, but the only one.

Harper's Round Table, October 8, 1895 |Various
He was standing in front of me now, but my back was still to the little fig-tree, and my hands had the hurdle tight.

Some Persons Unknown |E. W. Hornung
After putting on her skates, she sat on a hurdle for some minutes, watching Arthur's evolutions with a thoughtful smile.

A Young Man's Year |Anthony Hope

British Dictionary definitions for hurdle

hurdle

/ (ˈhɜːdəl) /

noun

athletics one of a number of light barriers over which runners leap in certain events
a low barrier used in certain horse races

an obstacle to be overcome

a light framework of interlaced osiers, wattle, etc, used as a temporary fence

British a sledge on which criminals were dragged to their executions

verb

to jump (a hurdle, etc), as in racing

(tr) to surround with hurdles

(tr) to overcome

Derived forms of hurdle

hurdler, noun

Word Origin for hurdle

Old English hyrdel; related to Gothic haurds door, Old Norse hurth door, Old High German hurd, Latin crātis, Greek kurtos basket

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

hurdle

noun

verb (used with object), hur·dled, hur·dling.

verb (used without object), hur·dled, hur·dling.

Origin of hurdle

OTHER WORDS FROM hurdle

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH hurdle

Words nearby hurdle

Example sentences from the Web for hurdle

British Dictionary definitions for hurdle

noun

verb

Derived forms of hurdle

Word Origin for hurdle

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

hurdle

noun

verb (used with object), hur·dled, hur·dling.

verb (used without object), hur·dled, hur·dling.

Origin of hurdle

OTHER WORDS FROM hurdle

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH hurdle

Words nearby hurdle

Words related to hurdle

Example sentences from the Web for hurdle

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for hurdle

noun

verb

Derived forms of hurdle

Word Origin for hurdle

British Dictionary definitions for hurdle