hastenv.
/ˈheɪsn/, U.S. /ˈheɪs(ə)n/ 1. intransitive. To make haste; to act quickly; to hurry or to be quick (to do something); to come or go quickly. Cf. haste v. 1a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > rapidity or speed of action or operation > proceed rapidly [verb (intransitive)] > hasten or hurry
hiec1250
skelta1400
hasty?a1425
hasten1534
festinate1652
to look sharp1680
to make play1799
hurry-scurry1809
to tumble up1826
crowd1838
rush1859
hurry1871
to get a move on1888
hurry and scurry1889
to buck up1890
to get a hump on1892
to get a wiggle on1896
to shake a leg1904
to smack it about1914
flurry1917
to step on it (her)1923
to make it snappy1926
jildi1930
to get an iggri on1946
ert-
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > swift movement in specific manner > move swiftly in specific manner [verb (intransitive)] > move with urgent speed
rempeOE
fuseOE
rakeOE
hiec1175
i-fusec1275
rekec1275
hastec1300
pellc1300
platc1300
startc1300
buskc1330
rapc1330
rapec1330
skip1338
firk1340
chase1377
raikc1390
to hie one's waya1400
catchc1400
start?a1505
spur1513
hasten1534
to make speed1548
post1553
hurry1602
scud1602
curry1608
to put on?1611
properate1623
post-haste1628
whirryc1630
dust1650
kite1854
to get a move on1888
to hump it1888
belt1890
to get (or put) one's skates on1895
hotfoot1896
to rattle one's dags1968
shimmy1969
1534 T. Elyot tr. St. Cyprian Swete & Deuoute Serm. sig. Dvii He hastened to brynge hym out of the myddes of iniquitie.
1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 399 King Richard..hastened not a little to set all thinges..in order.
1609 W. Shakespeare Sonnets lx. sig. E So do our minuites hasten to their end. View more context for this quotation
1611 Bible (King James) Gen. xviii. 6 Abraham hastened into the tent, vnto Sarah. View more context for this quotation
1656 B. Harris tr. J. N. de Parival Hist. Iron Age i. iv. xxvi. 148 Nor did he hasten to beat them out of his Country.
1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 224 I hasten'd back to my Castle.
1781 E. Gibbon Decline & Fall II. xxii. 349 The new consuls, Mamertinus and Nevitta, hastened to the palace to salute the emperor.
1874 J. R. Green Short Hist. Eng. People viii. §7. 534 Scotland..hastened to sign the Covenant.
1926 Daily Colonist (Victoria, Brit. Columbia) 2 July 5/3 The streets were almost deserted save for those hastening toward some of these attractive picnic grounds.
1970 J. G. Farrell Troubles i. 111 Without looking back the Major hastened along the corridor, up the stairs three at a a time.
2003 J. Fforde Well of Lost Plots vi. 74 I have six breeding pairs here..purely for research, I hasten to add.
2.
a. transitive. To cause to move more quickly; to urge, drive, press on; to quicken, accelerate, hurry. Cf. haste v. 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > rapidity or speed of action or operation > do, deal with, acquire, etc., quickly [verb (transitive)] > cause to be done rapidly > hasten or hurry
hiec1320
skinda1325
rape?a1400
acceleratec1522
hasten?1537
precipitate1558
swiften1638
hurry1713
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > swift movement in specific manner > move or cause to move swiftly in specific manner [verb (transitive)] > direct (one's way or steps) with haste > cause to move with haste
i-fuseOE
speeda1325
hastec1330
hasty?a1425
hasten?1537
press1611
hackney1617
scurry1850
shoot1895
?1537 T. Elyot Castell of Helthe iii. xii. f. 65 Sorowe hathe kylled manye, and in it selfe is founde no commoditie. Also by heuynesse dethe is hastened.
1565 T. Cooper Thesaurus at Festino Mortem in se festinauit, he hastned his owne death.
1579 E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. May 152 Sorrowe ne neede be hastened on.
1600 E. Blount tr. G. F. di Conestaggio Hist. Uniting Portugall to Castill 28 Sebastian..hastened his departure, impatient of the least delaies.
1659 B. Harris tr. J. N. de Parival Hist. Iron Age ii. i. xviii. 210 These preparations hastened the King to Nottingham.
1707 tr. P. Le Lorrain de Vallemont Curiosities in Husbandry & Gardening 181 Nitre mixt with Water..is excellent to hasten the Vines.
1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 353 We had three Leagues to go, and our Guide hasten'd us.
1776 E. Gibbon Decline & Fall I. 134 He wished impatiently for death, and hastened the instant of it.
1815 J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art II. 504 A very small quantity of salt hastens putrefaction.
1854 L. Tomlinson tr. D. F. J. Arago Pop. Lect. Astron. 121 The ultimate effect..was discovered in hastening, not in deferring, the time of the appearance of the comet!
1915 D. Haig Diary 12 Apr. in War Diaries & Lett. 1914–18 (2005) 115 He has recently been to England to hasten the provision of airoplanes etc.
1971 Times 25 Nov. (Canning Suppl.) p. ii/9 Economic pressures will probably hasten a voluntary change.
2015 Nature 15 Oct. 321/1 Alarmist writing may hasten the next slump.
b. transitive. To dispatch or send (esp. a letter, or troops) speedily or quickly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > rapidity or speed of action or operation > do, deal with, acquire, etc., quickly [verb (transitive)] > cause to be done rapidly > send in haste
dispatch1517
hasten1592
1592 R. Cosin Conspiracie for Pretended Reformation 26 I beseech you (so soone as you receiue this letter) hasten an answere in writing to my sisters house.
1611 Bible (King James) 1 Kings xxii. 9 Hasten hither Micaiah the sonne of Imlah. View more context for this quotation
1652 E. Nicholas Papers (1886) I. 309 I pray be still pressing the K. of France to hasten his effectual letters.
1674 in O. Airy Essex Papers (1890) I. 178 Your Exce will now have hastened over to me 34 foot Companys.
1748 S. Richardson Clarissa VII. xlvii. 184 If there be any-thing in Brand's letter that will divert me, hasten it to me.
1779 Let. 14 Feb. in John Norton & Sons (1968) 419 The uncertainty of this reaching you, inclines me to hasten my Letter otherwise it would be a very long one.
1841 Louisville (Kentucky) Public Advertiser 20 Apr. I..hasten this letter to put you on your guard.
1875 Cassell's Illustr. Hist. Eng. (rev. ed.) 554/1 He summoned his council, and hastened a dispatch to the Hague.
1889 L. Butler Let. 2 Sept. in I hear Symphony (1994) iv. 131 Darling, as I cannot get to talk with you, please hasten a letter to remove all doubts.
1956 Huntington Libr. Q. 20 278 In reply Herbert hastened a letter of regret.
2002 K. E. Diffley To live & Die 128 With reason for confidence, George B. McClellan hastened Union troops to South Mountain passes, and Confederate forces were pushed toward the village of Sharpsburg.
Phrases
to hasten slowly: to make steady progress while being careful not to rush or hurry. Chiefly imperative, as a proverbial exhortation to do this; cf. to make haste slowly at haste n. Phrases 2b.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > slowness of action or operation > [phrase] > without haste > proverbs
festina lente1537
Rome was not built in a day1545
to make haste slowly1565
to hasten slowly1623
steady as she goes1971
1623 T. Downing Catechisers Holy Encouragem. 10 The prouerb is Festinalente, hasten slowly, for to say truly, hast makes wast.
1687 P. Madan Phylos. & Med. Ess. Waters of Tunbridge 12 It's better to hasten slowly, and drink 'em leasurely.
1741 Querists, Pt. III 7 What sort of a Proof of due Care is hastening slowly?
1833 New-Eng. Mag. Feb. 114 ‘Hasten slowly,’ my young sub-freshmen, and avoid the error of your adviser.
1854 Morning Chron. 14 Apr. 6/3 Ceylon is to ‘hasten slowly’ in her career of coffee and cocoa-nut planting.
1892 Canada Educ. Monthly Apr. 124/2 We must also hasten slowly and be content to foster a taste for study.
1907 Spectator 12 Jan. 43 ‘Hasten slowly’ is a very good motto in Imperial politics.
1958 Oxf. Mail 14 Aug. 1/3 The Government is still hastening slowly on re-expansion.
2005 D. Bell Evil iv. 49 Hasten slowly, she told herself as she filed the papers.
Derivatives
ˈhastened adj.
ΚΠ
1561 J. Heywood tr. Seneca Hercules Furens i. sig. C5 The life ful quickly glides With hastned course.
1671 J. Milton Samson Agonistes 958 Thy hast'n'd widowhood. View more context for this quotation
1817 H. Smith Let. 18 Apr. in Lit. Panorama Dec. 488 The column moved forward with a hastened step.
2012 Jrnl. Med. Ethics 38 177/1 The risk of hastened death due to opioids might be overstated.
ˈhastening n. and adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > swift movement in specific manner > [adjective] > moving with urgent speed
hastening1545
hasting1566
hot-footed1844
the world > action or operation > manner of action > rapidity or speed of action or operation > [noun] > haste > action of causing
acceleration1490
hastening1545
properation1615
speedying1617
precipitation1621
hurry-up1944
the world > action or operation > manner of action > rapidity or speed of action or operation > [adjective] > acting with haste > in a hurry or hastening eagerly
hastya1387
battea1475
hastening1545
hot on (also of, in, upon) the spur1577
1545 T. Elyot Preseruatiue agaynste Deth sig. B.iii The originall cause of horrible sycknesse and hastenyng of deathe.
1561 J. Heywood tr. Seneca Hercules Furens iii. sig. H4 Thy hastenyng pace here staye.
1645 J. Milton Epit. Marchioness of Winchester in Poems 25 Presaging tears Which the sad morn had let fall On her hast'ning funerall.
1648 T. Gage Eng.-Amer. 95 For the speedier hastening of our second breakfast.
1770 O. Goldsmith Deserted Village 51 Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates and men decay.
1874 Dublin Jrnl. Med. Sci. 58 234 Irritation of the vagi, not carried beyond a certain point, causes hastening of the heart-beat.
1949 Foreign Affairs 28 48 Arrest a hastening decline of soil fertility.
2009 M. M. Winkler in Fall of Rom. Empire viii. 157 A villain who greatly contributed to the hastening of the empire's irreversible decline.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2018; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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