First Known Use: 1539
Dictionary
hurly–burly
noun hur·ly–bur·ly \ˌhər-lē-ˈbər-lē\
: a very active or confused state or situation
Full Definition of HURLY-BURLY
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Origin of HURLY-BURLY
probably alteration & reduplication of hurling, gerund of hurl
Related to HURLY-BURLY
- Synonyms
- ado, alarums and excursions, ballyhoo, blather, bluster, bobbery, bother, bustle, clatter, clutter [chiefly dialect], coil, corroboree [Australian], disturbance, do [chiefly dialect], foofaraw, fun, furor, furore, fuss, helter-skelter, hoo-ha (also hoo-hah), hoopla, hubble-bubble, hubbub, hullabaloo, hurly, hurly-burly, hurricane, hurry, hurry-scurry (or hurry-skurry), kerfuffle [chiefly British], moil, pandemonium, pother, row, ruckus, ruction, rumpus, shindy, splore [Scottish], squall, stew, stir, storm, to-do, tumult, turmoil, uproar, welter, whirl, williwaw, zoo
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