urgency

Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

ur·gen·cy

(ûr′jən-sē)

n. pl. ur·gen·cies

1. The quality or condition of being urgent; pressing importance: the urgency of the call for help; pleading with urgency.

2. A pressing necessity.

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.

ur•gen•cy

(ˈɜr dʒən si)

n., pl. -cies.

1. urgent character; imperativeness; insistence.

2. urgencies, urgent requirements or needs.

Urgency

all hands and the cook A state of emergency which of necessity becomes everyone’s top priority. This early American cowboy expression described the precarious state of affairs in which the herds were wild and all available persons were needed to bring the situation under control. Under normal circumstances, cowboys tended herds and cooks fed the cowhands; however, an emergency required that everyone chip in, temporarily ignoring differences of rank or task.

D-day See TIME.

sands are running out Time is passing; the remaining time is getting short; life is waning. The allusion is to the sands of an hourglass which have long been a symbol of the time allotted for an individual’s life.

I saw, my time, how it did run, as sand out of the glass. (Lord Henry Haward, Tottel’s Miscellany, 1557)

when push comes to shove See EXACERBATION.

when the chips are down When the situation is crucial or urgent; when action must be taken; in the clutch. This expression appears to derive from poker; the chips are “down” when they are “in,” i.e., when everyone has anted up and must play his hand.

zero hour See TIME.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	urgency - the state of being urgent; an earnest and insistent necessity necessity - the condition of being essential or indispensable hurry, haste - a condition of urgency making it necessary to hurry; "in a hurry to lock the door" imperativeness, insistency, press, insistence, pressure - the state of demanding notice or attention; "the insistence of their hunger"; "the press of business matters" criticality, criticalness, cruciality - a state of critical urgency
	2.	urgency - pressing importance requiring speedy action; "the urgency of his need" importance - the quality of being important and worthy of note; "the importance of a well-balanced diet" sharpness, edge - the attribute of urgency in tone of voice; "his voice had an edge to it" imperativeness, instancy - the quality of being insistent; "he pressed his demand with considerable instancy"
	3.	urgency - an urgent situation calling for prompt action; "I'll be there, barring any urgencies"; "they departed hurriedly because of some great urgency in their affairs" situation - a complex or critical or unusual difficulty; "the dangerous situation developed suddenly"; "that's quite a situation"; "no human situation is simple"
	4.	urgency - insistent solicitation and entreaty; "his importunity left me no alternative but to agree" importunity, urging solicitation - an entreaty addressed to someone of superior status; "a solicitation to the king for relief"

urgency

noun importance, need, necessity, gravity, pressure, hurry, seriousness, extremity, exigency, imperativeness It is a matter of utmost urgency.

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

Translations

إلْحاح، حالَةٍ مُلِحَّهأَمْرٌ عَاجِل

naléhavost

meget presserendenødstilfældeuopsættelighed

kiireellisyys

hitnost

brÿn òörf/nauîsyn

urgenza

緊急

긴급

spoed

hastverk tvingende nødvendighet

pilna potrzeba

urgência

срочность

nujnost

brådska

การเร่งรีบ

ivedilikaciliyet

sự khẩn cấp

紧急紧急情况

urgency

[ˈɜːdʒənsɪ] N

1. (= haste) → urgencia f
not everyone had the same sense of urgency → no todo el mundo tenía el mismo sentido de la urgencia
it is a matter of urgency → es un asunto urgente
the problem must be tackled as a matter of urgency → el problema debe tratarse con la máxima urgencia

2. [of tone of voice, pleas] → urgencia f
with a note of urgency in his voice → con un tono de urgencia

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

urgency

[ˈɜː^rdʒənsi] n

[situation, problem] → urgence f
sense of urgency → sentiment m d'urgence
as a matter of urgency → de toute urgence

[tone, voice, look] → insistance f
the note of urgency (in voice) → le ton pressant

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

urgency

n → Dringlichkeit f; (of tone of voice, pleas also) → Eindringlichkeit f; it’s a matter of urgency → das ist dringend; to treat something as a matter of urgency → etw als dringend behandeln; there’s no urgency → es eilt nicht, das hat keine Eile; there was a note of urgency in his voice → es klang sehr dringend; the urgency of our needs → die dringende Notwendigkeit; his statement lacked urgency → seinen Worten fehlte der Nachdruck; the urgency of his step → seine eiligen Schritte; the sense of urgency in the music → das Drängen in der Musik

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

urgency

[ˈɜːdʒ/ənsɪ] n (of case, need) → urgenza; (of tone of voice, pleas) → insistenza
it is a matter of urgency → è una questione della massima urgenza

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

urgent

(ˈəːdʒənt) adjective

needing immediate attention. There is an urgent message for the doctor.

ˈurgently adverb

ˈurgency noun

need for immediate action, speed etc. This is a matter of great urgency.

urgency

→ أَمْرٌ عَاجِل naléhavost uopsættelighed Dringlichkeit επιτακτικότητα urgencia kiireellisyys urgence hitnost urgenza 緊急 긴급 spoed hastverk pilna potrzeba urgência срочность brådska การเร่งรีบ ivedilik sự khẩn cấp 紧急情况

References in classic literature ?

One day I received a telegram from my father of such urgency that in compliance with its unexplained demand I left at once for home.

View in context

"Eminent Bodymaster," he said, in a solemn voice, "I claim urgency!"

View in context

With an alacrity beyond the common impulse of a spirit which yet was never indifferent to the credit of doing every thing well and attentively, with the real goodwill of a mind delighted with its own ideas, did she then do all the honours of the meal, and help and recommend the minced chicken and scalloped oysters, with an urgency which she knew would be acceptable to the early hours and civil scruples of their guests.

View in context

Dashwood recommended, with all the strength and urgency which illness could command, the interest of his mother-in-law and sisters.

View in context

Who is likely to make suitable provisions for the public defense, as that body to which the guardianship of the public safety is confided; which, as the centre of information, will best understand the extent and urgency of the dangers that threaten; as the representative of the WHOLE, will feel itself most deeply interested in the preservation of every part; which, from the responsibility implied in the duty assigned to it, will be most sensibly impressed with the necessity of proper exertions; and which, by the extension of its authority throughout the States, can alone establish uniformity and concert in the plans and measures by which the common safety is to be secured?

View in context

I can only throw myself upon your indulgence and plead the urgency of my mission."

View in context

Percerin was engaged on five costumes for the king, and that, owing to the urgency of the case, he was meditating in his office on the ornaments, colors, and cut of these five suits.

View in context

Never was he more a god in Kama's mind than in the last days of the south-bound traverse, as the failing Indian watched him, ever to the fore, pressing onward with urgency of endurance such as Kama had never seen nor dreamed could thrive in human form.

View in context

On this particular evening the urgency of my case demanded a pint of this mixture, which was poured down my throat, for my greater comfort, while Mrs.

View in context

"They can't hear." And the knocking recommenced with increased urgency. Agatha, excited, caught Miss Wilson's dressing gown, and repeated to her what the voice had said.

View in context

I was under great difficulties between urgency and shame.

View in context

Moreover, I was concealed and motionless, and under no urgency of action.

View in context

Full browser ?

CITE

Site: Follow: Share:

Open / Close