hurdle

  • 1Hurdle — Hur dle, n. [OE. hurdel, hirdel, AS. hyrdel; akin to D. horde, OHG. hurt, G. h[ u]rde a hurdle, fold, pen, Icel. hur? door, Goth. ha[ u]rds, L. cratis wickerwork, hurdle, Gr. ?, Skr. k?t to spin, c?t to bind, connect. [root]16. Cf. {Crate},… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2hurdle — UK US /ˈhɜːdl/ noun [C] ► a problem that you must solve or deal with before you can make progress: face/overcome a hurdle » The first hurdle she faced entering the job market was one of confidence. a hurdle to sth »Lack of preparation and lack of …

    Financial and business terms

  • 3hurdle — ► NOUN 1) one of a series of upright frames which athletes in a race must jump over. 2) (hurdles) a hurdle race. 3) an obstacle or difficulty. 4) a portable rectangular frame used as a temporary fence. ► VERB 1) run in a hurdle race …

    English terms dictionary

  • 4hurdle — [n] barrier, obstacle bar, barricade, blockade, complication, difficulty, fence, hamper, handicap, hedge, hindrance, impediment, interference, mountain, obstruction, rub, snag, stumbling block, traverse, wall; concepts 470,674 Ant. clear path,… …

    New thesaurus

  • 5hurdle — [hʉrd′ l] n. [ME hirdel < OE hyrdel < Gmc base * hurd , wickerwork, hurdle, akin to hyrd, door, Frank * hurda, a pen, fold < IE base * kert , to plait, twist together > L cratis (see CRATE), Gr kyrtos, bird cage] 1. Chiefly Brit. a… …

    English World dictionary

  • 6Hurdle — Hur dle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Hurdleed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Hurdleing}.] To hedge, cover, make, or inclose with hurdles. Milton. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 7hurdle — index bar (obstruction), barrier, deterrence, deterrent, encumbrance, handicap, negotiate, obstacle …

    Law dictionary

  • 8hurdle — noun 1 in a race VERB + HURDLE ▪ clear, jump, jump over ▪ She cleared the first few hurdles easily. ▪ fall at (esp. BrE), hit (esp. BrE) ▪ …

    Collocations dictionary

  • 9hurdle — {{11}} O.E. hyrdel frame of intertwined twigs used as a temporary barrier, dim. of hyrd door, from P.Gmc. *hurdiz wickerwork frame, hurdle (Cf. O.S. hurth plaiting, netting, Du. horde wickerwork, Ger. Hürde hurdle, fold, pen; O.N. hurð, Goth.… …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 10hurdle — I UK [ˈhɜː(r)d(ə)l] / US [ˈhɜrd(ə)l] noun Word forms hurdle : singular hurdle plural hurdles 1) a) [countable] an upright frame that a person or horse must jump over during a race. The sport of racing over hurdles is called hurdling, and a person …

    English dictionary