hurtling

Verb

hurtle (third-person singular simple present hurtles, present participle hurtling, simple past and past participle hurtled)

1. (archaic, literary, poetic, transitive) To propel or throw (something) hard or violently; to fling, to hurl.
   • He hurtled the wad of paper angrily at the trash can and missed by a mile.

   Synonyms:

   bung, cast, chuck, chunk, cook, dash, dump, feck, fling, jerk

2. (archaic, literary, poetic, transitive) To cause (someone or something) to collide with or hit another person or thing; or (two people or things) to collide with or hit each other.
   • Only in solitude could that strong man give way to his emotions; and at first they rushed forth so confused and stormy, so hurtling one the other, that hours elapsed before he could serenely face the terrible crisis of his position.1848, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], chapter VI, in Harold, the Last of the Saxon Kings; […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, book IX (The Bones of the Dead), page 8
3. (archaic, figuratively, literary, poetic, transitive) To attack or criticize (someone) verbally or in writing.
4. (intransitive, literary, poetic) To move rapidly, violently, or without control, especially in a noisy manner.
   • The car hurtled down the hill at 90 miles per hour.

   Synonyms:

   hightail, move quickly, skedaddle

5. (archaic, intransitive, literary, poetic) Of a person or thing: to collide with or hit another person or thing, especially with force or violence; also, of two people or things: to collide together; to clash.
   • Yet could not all that force and furie ſhake / The valiant champions, nor their perſons vvound, / Together hurtled both their ſteedes, and brake / Each others necke, the riders lay on ground: / But they (great maſters of vvars dreadfull art) / Pluckt forth their ſvvords and ſoone from earth vp...1600, [Torquato Tasso], “The Sixth Booke of Godfrey of Bulloigne”, in Edward Fairefax [i.e., Edward Fairfax], transl., Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem. […], London: […] Ar[nold]...
6. (archaic, intransitive, literary, poetic) To make a sound of things clashing or colliding together; to clatter, to rattle; hence, to move with such a sound.
   • The noiſe of Battell hurtled in the Ayre: / Horſſes do neigh, and dying men did grone, / And Ghoſts did ſhrieke and ſqueale about the ſtreets.1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...

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