What Does “Hurry sth up” Mean?
“Hurry sth up” means to make something happen faster or to speed up a process. It is a phrasal verb used when you want to ask someone to do something more quickly.
Introduction
The phrase “hurry sth up” is commonly used in everyday English to encourage faster action. The “sth” stands for “something,” meaning you want to speed up a task or event. Understanding the hurry sth up meaning helps learners express urgency politely and clearly. Whether you are in a work meeting, at school, or just talking with friends, this phrase is very useful. It is informal and often used in spoken English. Learning how to use “hurry sth up” will improve your communication skills and help you sound more natural.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: hurry something up
- Type: transitive (requires an object)
- Level: B1 (Intermediate)
- Short meaning: to make something happen faster
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Hurry sth up” is a separable phrasal verb, which means you can place the object between the verb and the particle or after the particle.
- hurry something up
- hurry up something
Example:
- Please hurry the process up.
- Please hurry up the process.
Both are correct, but the first form is more common.
How to Use “Hurry sth up”?
Use “hurry sth up” when you want to ask someone to complete a task faster. It is polite but can sound firm depending on the tone. You can use it in requests, commands, or suggestions.
Common subjects include people or processes, and the object is the task or event to be sped up.
Examples
Imagine you are waiting for a report at work, and you want your colleague to finish it faster. You might say:
- Can you hurry the report up? We need it before the meeting.
- They are trying to hurry the delivery up because the customers are waiting.
- We should hurry up the project if we want to meet the deadline.
- She asked the waiter to hurry the order up since they were late.
- Hurry sth up in a sentence: “Please hurry the application process up.”
Common Mistakes
People sometimes confuse the word order or omit the object, which changes the meaning or makes the sentence incorrect.
- Incorrect: Hurry up the!
- Correct: Hurry the report up.
- Incorrect: Hurry up something the.
- Correct: Hurry up the process.
- Incorrect: Hurry it.
- Correct: Hurry it up.
Differences / Synonyms
Other phrasal verbs like “speed up,” “rush,” or “get on with” are similar but slightly different.
- Speed up: Focuses on increasing speed without necessarily asking someone to do it.
- Rush: Means to do something quickly but can imply carelessness.
- Get on with: Means to start or continue doing something, not necessarily faster.
“Hurry sth up” specifically means to make a process or action faster, often by asking someone to act quicker.
Common Collocations
You often use “hurry sth up” with tasks or processes that can be delayed.
- hurry the process up – make a procedure faster
- hurry the delivery up – speed up the arrival of goods
- hurry the decision up – ask for a faster choice
- hurry the work up – complete a job more quickly
- hurry the meeting up – finish or start the meeting sooner
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of hurry sth up:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation between two colleagues:
Anna: The client is waiting for the report. Can you hurry it up?
Ben: Sure, I’ll finish it in the next hour.
Anna: Thanks! We need to send it before lunch.
Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of “hurry sth up”:
- Can you ______ the process ______? We are running late.
- They asked the chef to ______ the order ______.
- We need to ______ the meeting ______ if we want to finish on time.
FAQs
- Q: Is “hurry sth up” formal?
A: It is informal but polite enough for everyday use. - Q: Can I say “hurry up something”?
A: Yes, but “hurry something up” is more common. - Q: What does “sth” mean?
A: “Sth” is short for “something.” - Q: Can I use “hurry up” without an object?
A: Yes, but “hurry up” alone means “be faster,” not “speed up something.” - Q: Is “hurry sth up” the same as “speed up”?
A: Similar, but “speed up” is more general and less often a request.
