hurdle

The definition of a hurdle is a barrier that athletes or horses need to jump over during a competition, or an obstacle that needs to be overcome.

(noun)

  1. A large plastic barrier that an athlete has to jump over during a triathlonis an example of a hurdle.
  2. When you have no money to go to college, the lack of funds is an example of a hurdle that you must overcome before you can attend school.

To hurdle is defined as to jump over barriers.

(verb)

When you take part in a race where there are a series of 3-foot high barriers on the track that you have to run and jump over, this is an example of a time when you hurdle.

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See hurdle in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

  1. Chiefly Brit. a portable frame made of interlaced twigs, etc., used as a temporary fence or enclosure
  2. a kind of frame or sled on which prisoners in England were drawn through the streets to execution
  3. any of a series of framelike barriers over which horses or runners must leap in a special race (the )
  4. a difficulty to be overcome; obstacle

Origin: 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

transitive verb hurdled, hurdling

  1. to enclose or fence off with hurdles
  2. to jump over (a barrier), as in a race
  3. to overcome (an obstacle)

Related Forms:

See hurdle in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. Sports
    a. A light portable barrier over which competitors must leap in certain races.
    b. hurdles A race in which a series of such barriers must be jumped without the competitors' breaking their stride.
    c. A leaping step made off one foot as means of maximizing spring at the end of an approach, as to a dive.
  2. An obstacle or difficulty to be overcome: the last hurdle before graduation.
  3. Chiefly British A portable framework made of intertwined branches or wattle and used for temporary fencing.
  4. Chiefly British A frame or sledge on which condemned persons were dragged to execution.
verb hur·dled, hur·dling, hur·dles
verb, transitive
  1. To leap over (a barrier) in or as if in a race.
  2. To overcome or deal with successfully; surmount: hurdle a problem.
verb, intransitive
To leap over a barrier or other obstacle.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English hurdel, portable panel for temporary fences

Origin: , from Old English hyrdel

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Related Forms:

  • hurˈdler noun

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