hurling

UK: /ˈhɜː^rlɪŋ/ US: (hûr′ling)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

hurl•ing  (hûr′ling), n. 

1. the act of throwing or casting, esp. with great force or strength.
2. Games, Sport a traditionally Irish game played by two teams of 15 players each on a rectangular field 140 yards (128 m) long, points being scored by hitting, pushing, carrying, or throwing the leather-covered ball between the goalposts at the opponent's end of the field with a wide-bladed stick resembling a hockey stick.
3. Sport, Games (in parts of Britain, esp. Cornwall) a traditional, rural game in which two groups of players, using methods similar to those of football, vie for possession of a ball or other object and try to carry or hurl it into their own parish, village, farm, etc.

• 1350–1400; Middle English; see hurl, -ing¹

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

hurling / ˈhɜːlɪŋ/ noun

1. a traditional Irish game resembling hockey and lacrosse, played with sticks and a ball between two teams of 15 players each

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

hurl /hɜrl/   v. [~ + object]

1. to throw or fling with great force or strength:
   hurled a brick through the window.
2. to say with force, as by shouting:
   to hurl insults at the umpire.

n. [countable]

3. a powerful throw;
   pitch.

hurl•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

hurl  (hûrl), v.t. 

1. to throw or fling with great force or vigor.
2. to throw or cast down.
3. to utter with vehemence:
   to hurl insults at the umpire.

v.i. 

4. to throw a missile.
5. Sport [Baseball.] to pitch a ball.

n. 

6. a forcible or violent throw;
   fling.

• 1175–1225; Middle English hurlen, equivalent. to hur- (perh. akin to hurry) + -len -le; akin to Low German hurreln to toss, Frisian hurreln to roar (said of the wind), dialect, dialectal German hurlen to roll, rumble (said of thunder)

hurl′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. cast, pitch.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

hurl / hɜːl/ verb

1. (transitive) to throw or propel with great force
2. (transitive) to utter with force; yell: to hurl insults

noun

1. the act or an instance of hurling

Etymology: 13th Century: probably of imitative origin