Hurried

Part of speech: adjective, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈhʌɹ.id/

Definitions

1. Defined by a rapid pace driven by time constraints or urgency
2. Performed with speed reflecting a need to finish promptly
3. Carried out rapidly as a reaction to pressure or limited opportunity

Etymology: "Hurried" is simply the past tense and past participle of "hurry," so the history belongs to the verb. The verb's origins are uncertain, but one leading account traces it to Middle English "horien," meaning "to rush" or "to impel," probably a variant of "hurren," which meant "to vibrate rapidly" or "to buzz." Behind that lies a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to rush," which shares an ancient ancestor with Latin "currere," "to run," the source of English "current" and "course." The connection is striking: a word that today suggests frantic bustle once carried a sense of rapid, almost trembling motion. A second theory, also mentioned in the sources, proposes that "hurry" is a variant of "harry," which meant "to harass or raid." If that is right, the verb's sense of pressured haste may have grown from the idea of being pursued or troubled rather than from vibration or running. Neither account is settled, so the origin of "hurry" remains a matter of informed guesswork.

Synonyms: rushed, hasty, speedy, swift, urgent

Antonyms: slow, leisurely, relaxed, unhurried, calm