Definition

Noun: 1. A baseball pitcher: A player in the game of baseball who throws the ball from the mound toward the catcher to start each play. This is the primary and most common meaning. 2. One who hurls: A person or thing that throws or flings something with great force or violence. This is a more general and less common usage.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Baseball Pitcher):
  • The team's star hurler struck out ten batters in last night's game.
  • Managers must carefully manage the workload of their starting hurlers.
• Noun (One Who Hurls):
  • (Figurative) The protestor was a hurler of insults at the passing motorcade.
  • (Literal, archaic/poetic) The ancient warrior was a mighty hurler of javelins.

Advanced Usage

• The term "hurler" is used almost exclusively in a baseball context in modern American English. Its use to describe someone who throws objects in a general sense is now rare, poetic, or used for specific dramatic effect.
• In sports journalism, "hurler" is a synonym for "pitcher" that can add variety to writing. It is often used to emphasize the power and speed of the throw.

Variants and Related Words

• Hurl (verb): To throw something with great force.
  • He hurled the ball across the field.
• Hurling (noun):
  • The act of throwing violently.
  • A traditional Irish team sport played with sticks and a ball.
• Pitcher (noun): The standard and more common term for a baseball hurler.

Synonyms

• Pitcher (primary synonym in baseball)
• Thrower (general)
• Chucker (slang, informal)

Antonyms

• Batter (in baseball, the player who faces the hurler)
• Catcher (in baseball, the player who receives the pitch)

Related Phrases/Idioms

• Fireballer: (Baseball slang) A pitcher, or hurler, known for throwing very fast pitches.
  • The young fireballer was the most feared hurler in the league.
• Ace hurler: (Baseball term) The best starting pitcher on a team.
  • They will start their ace hurler in the championship game.

Noun

1. (baseball) the person who does the pitching
   • our pitcher has a sore arm