HURDLE, Eng. law. A species of sledge, used to draw traitors to execution.

Source: Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
 

Hurdle \Hur"dle\, n. [OE. hurdel, hirdel, AS. hyrdel; akin to D. horde, OHG. hurt, G. h["u]rde a hurdle, fold, pen, Icel. hur? door, Goth. ha['u]rds, L. cratis wickerwork, hurdle, Gr. ?, Skr. k?t to spin, c?t to bind, connect. [root]16. Cf. Crate, Grate, n.]

1. A movable frame of wattled twigs, osiers, or withes and stakes, or sometimes of iron, used for inclosing land, for folding sheep and cattle, for gates, etc.; also, in fortification, used as revetments, and for other purposes. [1913 Webster]

2. In England, a sled or crate on which criminals were formerly drawn to the place of execution. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]

3. An artificial barrier, variously constructed, over which men or horses leap in a race. [1913 Webster]

Hurdle race, a race in which artificial barriers in the form of hurdles, fences, etc., must be leaped. [1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

Hurdle \Hur"dle\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hurdleed; p. pr. & vb. n. Hurdleing.]

To hedge, cover, make, or inclose with hurdles. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

99 Moby Thesaurus words for "hurdle": Highland fling, and jump, bar, barrier, block, blockade, bottleneck, bounce, bound, broad jump, buck, buckjump, capriole, catch, check, clear, complication, conquer, cordon, curtain, curvet, demivolt, determent, deterrent, difficulty, down, drawback, flying jump, galliard, gelandesprung, grand jete, hamper, handicap, handspring, hang-up, hazard, high jump, hindrance, hippety-hop, hitch, hop, impediment, interference, jete, jig, joker, jump, jump over, jump shot, jump turn, jump-hop, jump-off, lavolta, leap, leap over, leapfrog, lick, long jump, lop, master, morris, mountain, negotiate, objection, obstacle, obstruction, obstructive, one small difficulty, over, overjump, overleap, overskip, pole vault, pounce, pounce on, pounce upon, restraint, rub, running broad jump, running high jump, saut de basque, ski jump, skip, snag, spring, start, start aside, start up, steeplechase, stumbling block, stumbling stone, surmount, throw, tour jete, traverse, updive, upleap, upspring, vault

Source: Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
 

hurdle

Source: WordNet (r) 2.0
 

Hurdle \Hur"dle\, n. [OE. hurdel, hirdel, AS. hyrdel; akin to D. horde, OHG. hurt, G. h["u]rde a hurdle, fold, pen, Icel. hur? door, Goth. ha['u]rds, L. cratis wickerwork, hurdle, Gr. ?, Skr. k?t to spin, c?t to bind, connect. [root]16. Cf. Crate, Grate, n.]

1. A movable frame of wattled twigs, osiers, or withes and stakes, or sometimes of iron, used for inclosing land, for folding sheep and cattle, for gates, etc.; also, in fortification, used as revetments, and for other purposes.

2. In England, a sled or crate on which criminals were formerly drawn to the place of execution. --Bacon.

3. An artificial barrier, variously constructed, over which men or horses leap in a race.

Hurdle race, a race in which artificial barriers in the form of hurdles, fences, etc., must be leaped.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Hurdle \Hur"dle\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hurdleed; p. pr. & vb. n. Hurdleing.]

To hedge, cover, make, or inclose with hurdles. --Milton.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)