hurdle

Pronunciation: /ˈhɜːdl̩/

The English word “hurdle” has 10 meanings listed here.

noun

An artificial barrier, variously constructed, over which athletes or horses jump in a race.
An obstacle, real or perceived, physical or abstract.
A movable frame of wattled twigs, osiers, or withes and stakes, or sometimes of iron, used for enclosing land, for folding sheep and cattle, for gates, etc.; also, in fortification, used as revetments, and for other purposes.
A sled or crate on which criminals were drawn to the place of execution.
A piece that is jumped over by a hopper piece.

verb

To jump over something while running.
To compete in the track and field events of hurdles (e.g. high hurdles).
To overcome an obstacle.
To hedge, cover, make, or enclose with hurdles.
To jump over another piece without capturing it.

Etymology

] From Middle English hurdel, hirdel, herdel, hyrdel, from Old English hyrdel (“frame of intertwined twigs used as a temporary barrier”), diminutive of *hyrd, from Proto-Germanic *hurdiz, from Pre-Germanic *kr̥h₂tis, from Proto-Indo-European *kreh₂-. Cognate with Dutch horde, German Hürde.

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