hur·dy-gur·dy

(hûr′dē-gûr′dē, hûr′dē-gûr′dē)

n. pl. hur·dy-gur·dies

1. A stringed instrument played by turning a rosined wheel with a crank and depressing keys connected to tangents on the strings.

2. An instrument, such as a barrel organ, played by turning a crank.

[Imitative.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

hurdy-gurdy

(ˈhɜːdɪˈɡɜːdɪ)

n, pl -dies

1. (Instruments) any mechanical musical instrument, such as a barrel organ

2. (Instruments) a medieval instrument shaped like a viol in which a rosined wheel rotated by a handle sounds the strings

[C18: rhyming compound, probably of imitative origin]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

hur•dy-gur•dy

(ˈhɜr diˈgɜr di, -ˌgɜr-)

n., pl. -gur•dies.

1. a barrel organ or similar musical instrument played by turning a crank.

2. a lute- or guitar-shaped stringed musical instrument sounded by the revolution against the strings of a rosined wheel turned by a crank.

[1740–50; variant of Scots hirdy-girdy uproar]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

hurdy-gurdy - a musical instrument that makes music by rotation of a cylinder studded with pegs

barrel organ, grind organ, hand organ, hurdy gurdy, street organ

musical instrument, instrument - any of various devices or contrivances that can be used to produce musical tones or sounds

music - an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner

Translations

hurdy-gurdy

[ˈhɜːdɪˌgɜːdɪ] N → organillo m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

hurdy-gurdy

n → Leierkasten m, → Drehorgel f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Arriving under the shadow of the Pyncheon Elm, it proved to be the Italian boy, who, with his monkey and show of puppets, had once before played his hurdy-gurdy beneath the arched window.

As the Italian shouldered his hurdy-gurdy, he saw on the doorstep a card, which had been covered, all the morning, by the newpaper that the carrier had flung upon it, but was now shuffled into sight.

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A hurdy-gurdy was playing in the corner opposite the club, just visible from where he stood.

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* sort of guitar, or rather hurdy-gurdy, the strings of which were

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"I'm not going into another man's house with a, hurdy-gurdy," said Lord Lundie, recoiling, as Giuseppe unshipped the working mechanism of the organ (it developed a hang-down leg) from its wheels, slipped a strap round his shoulders, and gave the handle a twist.

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The London septet create an inimitable sound using a mix of bagpipes, hurdy-gurdy and acoustic instruments to create what has been described as a driving, drone-based sense of melody, rhythmic expertise and sheer feeling.

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His poetry collections include "Hurdy-Gurdy," "Hammerlock" and "Buffalo Head Solos." His first book, "Body Moves" (1988), was recently rereleased by Carnegie Mellon University Press as part of the Contemporary Classics series.

Virginia poet laureate to visit ECC Writers Center

|Blowzabella Day, Holmfirth Civic Hall: Folk band Blowzabella, which uses historic drone instruments such the hurdy-gurdy and bagpipes, is hosting a day of dance and music workshops in association with Holmfirth Festival of Folk.

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When the last song, 'Der Leiermann' (The Hurdy-Gurdy Man), was performed, one felt a lump in the throat: Both singer and collaborative pianist, as in the previous songs and for the last time, had rendered fully Schubert's poignant lyricism.

Baritone Byeong In Park does a momentous journey with Schubert's 'Winterreise'

He reminisces about singing Winterreise in Russia where he saw an audience member moved to tears; in the same recital, he felt he was channeling Bob Dylan in "Der Leiermann." This final song elicits a strong response from Bostridge; it is the only song in the cycle in which he sees the piano as separate from the voice in its role as the hurdy-gurdy. He is reluctant to rehearse this final song, preferring instead to be inspired in the performance.

Bostridge, Ian. Schubert's Winter Journey: Anatomy of an Obsession

The visitors performed intricate bourree dances from their region, in heavy wooden clogs and accompanied by their musicians playing the unique multi-stringed hurdy-gurdy instrument.

International folk join in landmark celebration