hurly-burly

[ hur-lee-bur-lee, -bur- ]
/ ˈhɜr liˈbɜr li, -ˌbɜr- /

noun, plural hurl·y-burl·ies.

noisy disorder and confusion; commotion; uproar; tumult.

adjective

full of commotion; tumultuous.

Origin of hurly-burly

1520–30; alteration of hurling ( and) burling, rhyming phrase based on hurling in its (now obsolete) sense of tumult, uproar

Words nearby hurly-burly

Example sentences from the Web for hurly-burly

British Dictionary definitions for hurly-burly

hurly-burly
/ (ˈhɜːlɪˈbɜːlɪ) /

noun plural hurly-burlies

confusion or commotion

adjective

turbulent

Word Origin for hurly-burly

C16: from earlier hurling and burling, rhyming phrase based on hurling in obsolete sense of uproar