n. [ From Hurds. ] A coarse kind of linen; -- called also harden. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. hurdel, hirdel, AS. hyrdel; akin to D. horde, OHG. hurt, G. hürde a hurdle, fold, pen, Icel. hur&unr_; door, Goth. haúrds, L. cratis wickerwork, hurdle, Gr. &unr_;, Skr. k&unr_;t to spin, c&unr_;t to bind, connect. √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 ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Hurdleed p. pr. & vb. n. Hurdleing ] To hedge, cover, make, or inclose with hurdles. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Work after manner of a hurdle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Hards. ] The coarse part of flax or hemp; hards. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Prob. of imitative origin. ] 1. A stringled instrument, lutelike in shape, in which the sound is produced by the friction of a wheel turned by a crank at the end, instead of by a bow, two of the strings being tuned as drones, while two or more, tuned in unison, are modulated by keys. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. In California, a water wheel with radial buckets, driven by the impact of a jet. [ 1913 Webster ]