hurdle
noun /ˈhɜːdl/
/ˈhɜːrdl/
- each of a series of vertical frames that a person or horse jumps over in a race
enlarge image- His horse fell at the final hurdle.
- to clear a hurdle (= jump over it successfully)
Extra ExamplesTopics Sports: other sportsc2- She cleared the first few hurdles easily.
- She cleared the first hurdle in the lead.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + hurdle- clear
- jump
- jump over
- …
- hurdles[plural] a race in which runners or horses have to jump over hurdles
- the 300 m hurdles
- a problem or difficulty that must be solved or dealt with before you can achieve something synonym obstacle
- The next hurdle will be getting her parents' agreement.
- Well we’ve cleared the first hurdle; let’s see what happens next.
- We worked hard for three months on the deal only to see it fall at the final hurdle.
Extra ExamplesTopics Difficulty and failurec1- We'll cross that hurdle when we come to it.
- You have already overcome the first major hurdle by passing the entrance exam.
- We'll jump each hurdle as we come to it.
- This is perhaps the most difficult hurdle that we face.
- The plan fell at the first hurdle.
- The first big hurdle in putting your car on the road is getting insurance.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- big
- difficult
- high
- …
- face
- clear
- jump
- …
Word OriginOld English hyrdel ‘temporary fence’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch horde and German Hürde.