hurly-burly

Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms.

hur·ly-bur·ly

(hûr′lē-bûr′lē)

n. pl. hur·ly-bur·lies

Noisy confusion; tumult.

[Alteration and reduplication of hurling, gerund of hurl.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

hurly-burly

(ˈhɜːlɪˈbɜːlɪ)

n, pl hurly-burlies

confusion or commotion

adj

turbulent

[C16: from earlier hurling and burling, rhyming phrase based on hurling in obsolete sense of uproar]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

hurl•y-burl•y

(ˈhɜr liˈbɜr li, -ˌbɜr-)

n., pl. -burl•ies,
adj. n.

1. noisy disorder and confusion; commotion; tumult.

adj.

2. full of commotion; tumultuous.

[1520–30; alter. of hurling (and) burling, rhyming phrase based on hurling in now obsolete sense “tumult, uproar”]

hurly-burly

- Turmoil or an uproar.

hurly-burly

noun commotion, confusion, chaos, turmoil, disorder, upheaval, furore, uproar, turbulence, pandemonium, bedlam, tumult, hubbub, brouhaha the hurly-burly of modern city life
order, organization, composure, tidiness

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

hurly-burly

[ˈhɜːlɪˈbɜːlɪ] N → alboroto m, tumulto m
the hurly-burly of politics → la vida tumultuosa de la política

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

hurly-burly

[ˌhɜː^rliˈbɜː^rli] n [situation, activity] → tohu-bohu m inv

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

hurly-burly

n → Getümmel nt, → Rummel m (inf); the hurly-burly of politics → der Rummel der Politik

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

hurly-burly

[ˌhɜːlɪˈbɜːlɪ] n → chiasso, baccano

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

The mules, however, confounded by the hurly-burly and disliking their new riders kicked up their heels and dismounted half of them, in spite of their horsemanship.

View in context

Round the house!" cried the captain; and even in the hurly-burly, I perceived a change in his voice.

View in context

And Michael, spilling over with unused vitality from the cramped space of the Eugenie's deck, scampered down the beach in a hurly-burly of joy, scenting a thousand intimate land-scents as he ran, and describing a jerky and eccentric course as he made short dashes and good-natured snaps at the coconut crabs that scuttled across his path to the safety of the water or reared up and menaced him with formidable claws and a spluttering and foaming of the shell-lids of their mouths.

View in context

She made a stream of fire flare from his shield and helmet like the star that shines most brilliantly in summer after its bath in the waters of Oceanus--even such a fire did she kindle upon his head and shoulders as she bade him speed into the thickest hurly-burly of the fight.

He made his own horses fast, away from the hurly-burly, by binding the reins to the rim of the chariot.

View in context

Yet hark thee, good youth,'' said he, turning about, ``thrust thyself not too forward into this vain hurly-burly I speak not for endangering the steed, and coat of armour, but for the sake of thine own life and limbs.''

View in context

Then a great hurly-burly ensued; a vast movement of feet, hands, and heads; a general outbreak of coughs and handkerchiefs; each one arranged himself, assumed his post, raised himself up, and grouped himself.

View in context

He often would Hurly-burly Get up early And go By hook or crook To the brook, And bring home Miller's Thumb, Tittlebat Not over fat, Minnows small As the stall Of a glove, Not above The size Of a nice Little baby's Little fingers."

View in context

Summary: New Delhi (India), July 23 (ANI): Amidst the hurly-burly of Indian politics inside the Parliament, a young visitor came to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.

PM Modi hosts a 'special guest' in Parliament

They are not alone in their position and the KSA is going to have to learn to live in the hurly-burly of the modern world.

A regrettable decision

Politics can be a hurly-burly business but we should remember all those that take part in our democracy, giving up their time, energy and money to campaign for their beliefs.