Definition

Noun: * A state of great noise, confusion, and activity; a tumultuous and chaotic disturbance.

Usage

The word "hurly burly" is a literary and somewhat old-fashioned term used to describe a scene of noisy commotion and disorder. It emphasizes a lack of control and the overwhelming nature of the disturbance.

Examples

• After the championship win, the hurly burly of the celebrating fans filled the streets.
• She escaped the hurly burly of the city for the peace of the countryside.
• The teacher struggled to quiet the hurly burly of the classroom.

Advanced Usage

• The phrase often implies a sense of being caught up in or surrounded by the chaos, as in "the hurly burly of modern life."
• It can be used metaphorically to describe non-physical tumult, such as in politics or business: "the hurly burly of the stock market."

Variants and Related Words

• Hurly-burly: An alternative hyphenated spelling of the noun.
• Hurly (noun, archaic): A shortened, now rarely used form meaning tumult or uproar.

Synonyms

• Commotion
• Tumult
• Uproar
• Pandemonium
• Bedlam
• Turmoil

Idioms and Phrases

• The hurly burly is done: A phrase adapted from Shakespeare's ("When the hurlyburly's done / When the battle's lost and won"), meaning when the chaotic activity or conflict is over.

Noun

1. a disorderly outburst or tumult
   • they were amazed by the furious disturbance they had caused