Hurdle


[hur-dl] /ˈhɜr dl/

noun
1.
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.
2.
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 , .
3.
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.
4.
a difficult problem to be overcome; obstacle.
5.
Chiefly British. a movable rectangular frame of interlaced twigs, crossed bars, or the like, as for a temporary fence.
6.
a frame or sled on which criminals, especially traitors, were formerly drawn to the place of execution.
verb (used with object), hurdled, hurdling.
7.
to leap over (a hurdle, barrier, fence, etc.), as in a race.
8.
to master (a difficulty, problem, etc.); overcome.
9.
to construct with hurdles; enclose with hurdles.
verb (used without object), hurdled, hurdling.
10.
to leap over a hurdle or other barrier.
/ˈhɜːdəl/
noun
1.

2.
an obstacle to be overcome
3.
a light framework of interlaced osiers, wattle, etc, used as a temporary fence
4.
(Brit) a sledge on which criminals were dragged to their executions
verb
5.
to jump (a hurdle, etc), as in racing
6.
(transitive) to surround with hurdles
7.
(transitive) to overcome
n.

Old English hyrdel “frame of intertwined twigs used as a temporary barrier,” diminutive of hyrd “door,” from Proto-Germanic *hurdiz “wickerwork frame, hurdle” (cf. Old Saxon hurth “plaiting, netting,” Dutch horde “wickerwork,” German Hürde “hurdle, fold, pen;” Old Norse hurð, Gothic haurds “door”), from PIE *krtis (cf. Latin cratis “hurdle, wickerwork,” Greek kartalos “a kind of basket,” kyrtos “fishing creel”), from root *kert- “to weave, twist together” (cf. Sanskrit krt “to spin”). Sense of “barrier to jump in a race” is by 1822; figurative sense of “obstacle” is 1924.
v.

1590s, “to build like a hurdle,” from hurdle (n.). Sense of “to jump over” dates from 1880 (implied in hurdling). Related: Hurdled; hurdling. Hurdles as a type of race (originally horse race) with hurdles as obstacles is attested by 1836 (hurdle-race is from 1822).

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