flurry
See also: Flurry
English
Etymology
Perhaps an American English blend of flutter and hurry. Alternatively, perhaps from an obsolete term flurr (“scatter”).
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈflʌɹi/ (accents with the "Foot-strut" split)
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈflʊɹi/ (accents without the "Foot-strut" split)
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈflʌɹi/ (accents without the "Hurry-furry" merger)
Audio (US) (file)
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈflɝ.ɹi/ (accents with the "Hurry-furry" merger)
Audio (US) (file)
- Rhymes: -ʌɹi
Noun
flurry (plural flurries)
- A light, brief snowfall.
- A sudden and brief blast or gust; a light, temporary breeze.
- a flurry of wind
- 1945 May and June, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 152:
- When the right-away was given, Driver Gibson would give a sonorous blast on Cardean's deep-toned hooter, and amid a flurry of swirling steam the train would move majestically out, with nearly half the city of Carlisle—or so it would appear—as onlookers on the platform.
- A shower of dust, leaves etc. brought on by a sudden gust of wind.
- (figurative) Any sudden activity; a stir.
- 1912, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World:
- "I missed the beast in my flurry, but he dropped you all right and was off like a streak."
- 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 10, in The China Governess:
- With a little manœuvring they contrived to meet on the doorstep which was […] in a boiling stream of passers-by, hurrying business people speeding past in a flurry of fumes and dust in the bright haze.
- 1998, Gillian Catriona Ramchand, Deconstructing the Lexicon, in Miriam Butt and Wilhelm Geuder, eds. “The Projection of Arguments”
- These [argument structure] modifications are important because they have provoked a flurry of investigation into argument structure operations of merger, demotion etc.
- 2011 January 8, Chris Bevan, “Arsenal 1 - 1 Leeds”, in BBC:
- The Championship highflyers almost got their reward for a resilient performance on their first visit to the Emirates, surviving a flurry of first-half Arsenal chances before hitting back with a classic sucker punch.
- The day before the wedding was a flurry of preparations.
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- A snack consisting of soft ice cream mixed with small pieces of fruit, cookie crumbs, etc.
- 1988, K. Wayne Wride, Fruit Treats (in Vegetarian Times number 134, October 1988, page 27)
- Does your "Forbidden Foods" list include banana splits, ice cream sundaes, slurpies, popsicles, frozen yogurts, milk shakes, and ice cream flurries? These foods taste great but have a reputation for being bad for your health.
- 2002, Tampa Bay Magazine (volume 17, number 3, May-June 2002, page 235)
- They will make your tongue smile with their homemade ice cream, which was voted "Best Taste in the USA Today." Enjoy exciting toppings to personalize your treat or a yummy sundae, flurry, smoothie, banana split or shake...
- 1988, K. Wayne Wride, Fruit Treats (in Vegetarian Times number 134, October 1988, page 27)
- The violent spasms of a dying whale.
- 1851, Herman Melville, chapter 84, in Moby Dick, Pitchpoling:
- Again and again to such gamesome talk, the dexterous dart is repeated, the spear returning to its master like a greyhound held in skilful leash. The agonized whale goes into his flurry; the tow-line is slackened, and the pitchpoler dropping astern, folds his hands, and mutely watches the monster die.
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- An occurrence of something (countable instances) in large numbers, happening suddenly or in a short period of time.
- Synonyms: volley, barrage
- The fencer landed a flurry of hits on her opponent.
- The think piece provoked a flurry of media responses for the remainder of the week.
Translations
brief snowfall
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sudden and brief blast or gust; a light, temporary breeze
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shower of dust, leaves, …
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sudden activity
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Verb
flurry (third-person singular simple present flurries, present participle flurrying, simple past and past participle flurried)
- (transitive) To agitate, bewilder, fluster.
- 1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 1, in Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, OCLC 3174108:
- And so venturing not to say another word, poor Jemima trotted off, exceedingly flurried and nervous.
- 1897, Henry James, What Maisie Knew:
- She was flurried by the term with which he had qualified her gentle friend, but she took the occasion for one to which she must in every manner lend herself.
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- (intransitive) To move or fall in a flurry.
Derived terms
- flurrying
Translations
agitate
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move in a flurry
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